Cruise tourism is taking shape in Kenya as Mombasa becomes the preferred destination boosting the economy.
Viking Sky, a luxury cruise vessel operated by Viking Ocean Cruises, today made a scheduled stop at the port of Mombasa.
The vessel will stay at the Mombasa port for three days and two nights, allowing passengers to explore Mombasa and surrounding attractions.
This is a plus to the local economy as tourists will have ample time to enjoy local tourism attractions with the port earning some fees.
Viking Sky carries 845 international passengers and a crew of 469.
Speaking in Mombasa during a ceremony to receive the luxury cruise liner Viking sky, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the arrival of the vessel is a major boost to tourism as the government is determined and happy to support the sector by continuing to put in place policies and legislation and all the support structures the sector needs.
Miano congratulated the private sector that facilitated the event, for doing tour operations and for the good work in organizing a smooth arrival of the over 800 tourists.
She said going forward, the government targets to welcome more than three million international visitors in 2025 and at least five million visitors annually in the next two years.
“This is a good target in cruise tourism as the figures will be a critical addition to our numbers. We are very excited about this development, and we welcome everyone to Kenya which is a good tourism destination with Mombasa being the tourism jewel of the country since it contributes about 50 percent of all tourism revenues in the country,” she said.
The CS assured the visitors that the country is safe, and they can walk freely adding there are enough security measures in place to safeguard their wellbeing.
At the same time, Miano asked Kenyans to embrace tourism and continue to nurture the hospitality culture and become ambassadors of their country to promote tourism, which is a great enabler of the economy, creates jobs, makes businesses thrive and brings in foreign currency to the country.
CS Miano added that the government will continue to provide the technical support to young people to work on cruise vessels with Viking Sky having 20 Kenyans as crew members.
She noted that there is a close collaboration between the national government and Mombasa County government to promote local tourism.
Miano added that the government values health matters hence it is monitoring to ensure visitors are safe as the nationals.
The Mombasa County government promised to work on beautifying the coastal city to make it more appealing to tourists.
Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) General Manager Operations, Dr. Sudi Mwasenago, said the Viking Sky is the fourth cruise vessel that has made a maiden call at the Mombasa port this year alone compared to last year where only seven cruise vessels with a total of 6,000 passengers came to the port.
Mwasenago said this year the Mombasa port has so far received 4,000 passengers and it’s still counting since another cruise vessel is expected on 31st of March.
“The visits cement Mombasa’s growing appeal as a premier cruise destination and a testament to the resurgence of cruise tourism in the region,” he said.
He added that the visit of Viking Sky is facilitated by Sturrock Shipping K Ltd, and special arrangements have been made to ensure a seamless experience for guests.
Viking Sky has a length overall (LOA) of 228.2 meters and is arriving from Victoria, Mahe- Seychelles before proceeding to Andoany (Hell-Ville), Nosy-BE Madagascar.
Captain of the vessel Fredrick Nelson appreciated the warm welcome and expressed gratitude to KPA for the professionals that accorded them a smooth arrival.
By Chari Suche
