MOMBASA, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) — A luxury cruise ship carrying 2,500 foreign tourists, including 200 Chinese, docked in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa on Saturday, after a pandemic-related hiatus, government officials said. He reiterated that the industry's revival is well underway.
Alfred Mutua, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, was among the officials who hosted the cruise ship MSC Poesia, which has 1,000 crew members, including 20 from Kenya.
“As a country, we are proud to welcome travelers aboard our cruise ships, reaffirming that we remain a premier tourist destination,” Mutua said, adding that in 2023 Kenya will be traveling on luxury ships. It added that it received 3,123 tourists.
Mutua noted that Kenya has already hosted more than 5,000 luxury cruise ship passengers since January, with cruise tourism experiencing a post-COVID-19 resurgence.
“We expect more than 12,000 visitors to come here by cruise ships. Kenya should receive 140,000 visitors a year by cruise ship companies,” Mutua said.
He added that Kenya is negotiating with cruise ship companies to promote the country's scenic spots, increase tourist arrivals, create jobs and boost economic growth.
Mr Mutua said Kenya was working to diversify its tourism offerings, implement targeted marketing and improve security in order to increase annual visitor numbers from an average of 1.5 million to 10 million by 2030. Ta.
He said the government aims to generate 2 billion shillings (US$12.46 million) from cruise tourism in 2024, but strengthening public health is a priority in attracting more luxury ships.
Mr Mutua said discussions were continuing with cruise ship owners to ensure passengers were vaccinated against yellow fever before embarking on their journey to the Kenyan coast, in line with World Health Organization (WHO) protocols. He said there was.
He said the combination of visa exemption and seamless customs clearance at Mombasa port is driving the growth of cruise tourism in Kenya.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC Poesia) cruise ship, one of the largest luxury cruise ships with a total length of 294 meters, docks at Mombasa Port and makes short calls at various ports across Africa.
