fly748.com Highlights Role of Domestic Aviation in Kenya’s Major Sporting Events

Domestic air connectivity is expected to play an important role in supporting Kenya’s tourism ambitions as the country prepares to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

fly748.com says the events present an opportunity for the aviation sector to facilitate visitor movement, connect tourism destinations and support economic activity beyond the main sporting venues.

George Oduor, Head of Scheduled Services at the airline, said efficient domestic air services would be essential to meeting the travel needs of athletes, spectators, officials, sponsors and business delegations expected to visit the country.

“Domestic airlines have an important role to play in making it easier for visitors to travel across the country and experience more of what Kenya has to offer beyond the sporting events themselves,” said Oduor.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 16th Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), he said improved connectivity could help distribute tourism demand across multiple destinations, encouraging visitors to combine sporting events with leisure travel.

fly748.com currently operates scheduled passenger services from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Terminal 2, to Mombasa and Ukunda/Diani. It is also exploring potential domestic and regional network expansion to respond to evolving travel requirements.

Oduor said the opportunities extend to Kenya’s domestic market, with major competitions potentially encouraging residents to travel, support local businesses and discover destinations within the country.

The outlook aligns with the government’s wider tourism growth strategy. Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano reported that Kenya welcomed approximately 2.7 million international visitors in 2025, generating an estimated KSh 500 billion in tourism earnings, while domestic tourism registered approximately 5.2 million bed-nights.

The government is targeting 5.5 million international visitors by 2028 through investment in infrastructure, destination marketing, digital transformation and diversification of tourism products.

Tourism Principal Secretary Ambassador Professor Julius K. Bitok has highlighted the potential for Kenya and neighbouring countries, particularly Uganda and Tanzania, to benefit from increased visitor flows associated with the upcoming competitions.

As preparations for AFCON generate discussions about infrastructure, accommodation and visitor capacity, Kenya’s 2029 World Athletics Championships bid provides a further opportunity to strengthen international visibility.

For the aviation sector, the challenge will be to ensure that reliable connections, appropriate capacity and accessible routes help convert major sporting events into sustained tourism demand and wider economic benefits.