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By Steve Umidha
Airline Company, 748 Air Services Tuesday announced a partnership arrangement with travel agents to shore up Valentine’s celebrations bookings to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
The aircraft signed packages with Keekorok Lodge, Mahali Mzuri, as well as Sarova Mara among others.
It currently has flight and accommodation packages covering return flights, full-board accommodation, game drives and round airstrip transfers done through www.748airservicesltd.com
“At the moment bookings for Valentine’s are low. We are now meeting prospective travel agents with the hope of enhancing our bookings,” said Ahmed Jibri, 748 Air Services Chairman.
The new move comes just after the airline had in last quarter of 2020, signed similar partnerships with a host of lodges and camps in the Mara and increased frequency of flights to boost domestic tourism.
748 Air Services operates daily flights to the Mara with rates now pegged at USD $206 per person for a return ticket from Nairobi’s Wilson Airport.
“We are offering competitive rates to the Mara compared to other airlines operating from Wilson Airport,” said Mr. Jibri.
Quarantine rules for international passengers have dampened the return of international travel amid concerns that certain European Union (EU) countries are introducing tougher isolation rules for international travellers to combat the COVID-19 infection.
A new survey by the Ministry of Tourism in partnership with the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), shows that about 76 per cent of Kenyans interviewed had expressed such rules as their greatest concern when planning foreign travels.
The report released last week further showed that a substantive 57 per cent feared being quarantined upon return home.
About 64 per cent of respondents indicated they were ready to travel again domestically while the demand for regional and international travel was more subdued with only 34 and 25 per cent of respondents expressing readiness to travel.
The survey however indicates that the majority of Kenyans were willing to start travelling again provided right measures were put in place to cater for their safety from contacting the virus.
“Kenya was awarded the Safer Tourism Seal (STS) that builds on established certifications through evaluations and endorsements. The seal provides additional assurances about the industry,” reads in part the survey.
All travellers, including those only transiting Kenya must carry evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 96 hours of flying that can be verified digitally through the Trusted Travel Initiative.