East African tourist destinations set to receive expanding flight service

Looking to extend its wings to cover more routes in East Africa, the Rwanda national carrier will increase more flights to northern Tanzania, taking an advantage of tourist flow to the area.

The Rwanda’s state owned RwandAir will increase its flight frequency from the Rwandan bustling capital of Kigali to Tanzania’s northern tourist airport of Kilimanjaro by end of March this year.

Sources from the fast-growing Rwandan carrier said a fourth flight will be launched on March 30, to add to the current, existing three flights operated by the airline between the two destinations.

RwandAir Northern Tanzania zonal manager Thomson Byarushengo said the flights will be available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

He said the airline has taken the tourist opportunity flow in northern Tanzania to add another weekly flight, similarly, the growing number of government officials and other delegates flying between Kigali to the East African Community head offices in Arusha, Tanzania’s northern tourist capital.

The airline’s East African regional manager Ms. Alice Katiti said the airline expects to receive a brand new Q400 aircraft from Bombardier on 24, March 2014 to boost regional and domestic routes.

RwandAir had last year ordered 67-seat, dual-class Q400 NextGen aircraft worth US$ 33 million to boost its capacity.

The Q400 NextGenturboprop aircraft has been targeted to develop domestic and regional market and to firmly support RwandAir on its path towards growth and increased profitability.

The Bombardier Q-400 NextGen will operate on Brazzaville in Congo Brazzaville, Libreville in Gabon, Entebbe in Uganda, Nairobi in Kenya, Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania, Bujumbura in Burundi, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania’s Coast, Mombasa in Kenyan coast and Kamembe in Rwanda.

Coming up among competitive tourist destination in Africa, Rwanda is the home of mountain gorillas, scenery and rich African cultures.

RwandAir upstaged their Tanzanian airline counterparts when they signed up as the “Official Airline” for the upcoming Kilimanjaro Marathon, which will be run on March 2. Every year, either at the end of February or the beginning of March, a full length 42.2 km marathon, a 21.1 km half marathon, and a 5 km fun run is organized in Moshi. The Kilimanjaro Premium Lager Marathon and Vodacom 5km Fun Run will take place for the 12th time this year with the route running along the foot hills of Africa’s highest mountain. The race was initially set up to promote the sport of marathon in Tanzania, and has been enjoying the official backing of the Tanzania Tourist Board, the Tanzania Amateur Athletics Association, the IAAF, and is registered with AIMS, and now added to that impressive list is the support of RwandAir as the airline partner to transport participants, spectators, supporters, organizers, and competitors in and out of Kilimanjaro International Airport.

By Apolinari Tairo, eTN Tanzania Correspondent