Port Mombasa (Kenya) continues to attract more tourists during the festive holiday season after another cruise vessel docked with ~500 tourists.
Oceania's ship Nautica disembarked 572 passengers. The international tourists were welcomed by government officials led by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Penina Malonza (flanked by officials from the Kenya Ports Authority/Kenya Tourism Board).
The new arrivals come after another ship - World Odyssey/MS Deutschland - with ~800 vacationers docked in Mombasa in November as domestic/international visitors made record bookings in hotels since the COVID outbreak.
The business boon comes after the building of the Kshs. 1.3 billion terminal started back in 2016 and was completed in 2019 as the government of Kenya intensified plans to market the coastal region as a tourism destination.
The new terminal has a 3-story building and similar facilities like at the airports, such as duty-free shops, restaurants, conference facilities, lounges, and officials including logistics, immigration, and port health.
The CS Penina Malonza said they expected to have at least 3 more cruise ships by the end of March 2023.
Malonza added that plans were underway to improve facilities/services including diversification of excursions that should be marketed to cruisers on expeditions in the destination.
She said the Government would also continue to develop/implement tourism policies that would improve the experience of tourists visiting the country, specifically in the coastal region.
“In line with this, the government has already put in place infrastructure projects such as the upgrade of the Moi International Airport in Mombasa and Diani Airport in Kwale county, as well as road infrastructure to support tourism.”
Oceania Nautica left Kenya's territorial waters Sunday evening, December 25th, heading to Zanzibar, then South Africa (Cape Town) prior to sailing to Japan after 1-day excursions by the vacationers in Tsavo National Park and a trip of Mombasa's tourist sites.
Prior to docking at Mombasa Saturday night, the boat had sailed from the Mediterranean in November heading to Dubai, and then to India.
The KPA chairman General Joseph Kibwana was represented by Captain Geoffrey Namadoa, the harbor master and general manager of marine operations.
Namadoa said KPA had invested heavily in the Sh1.3 billion terminal and focused on branding the facility as the best in the region and Africa.
He also revealed that plans were underway to turn the ferry services into local voyages around the coastal waters in order to add value in the wake of the building of the Sh85 billion Likoni Gateway Bridge.