Mohammed Hersi . A hotelier passionate about Tourism & Governance in Africa

We must avoid turning Jambojet into a KQ.
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Visiting Diani a place I love most and would one day consider it my retirement home . 
Hotels in Diani seem to have had a good week with LSK conference and also big support from Nbi families. Diani a leading beach destination has suffered enough with so many hotels shut or under performing. 
What shocked me is that jambojet a perceived lost cost airline is charging as high as 29K for a Nbi Ukunda flight a mere 50 minutes hop . For a one way as hogh as 16K . As tourism players we have been fighting for two things low coast carriers locally to boost domestic tourism and scheduled flights to boost international tourism hence you see Ethiopian , Turkish & Rwandair coming to Mombasa.
By and large Jambojet has really helped moreso for Diani but charging $300 is simply over the top while a trip to Addis from Msa on Ethiopian is $210 not that they ain’t busy . They are very busy .
If the trend of Jambojet is anything to go by , then I am afraid they cease to be a low cost airline . We want more truly low cost airlines to be licensed to bring us the numbers. We have 30,000 beds to fill up along Kenya coast. They should see beyond the 1000 seats they fly into Kenya coast a day . They should see beyond the 6000 workforce , they should see the 150,000 people who benefit both directly and indirectly when these 30,000 beds are occupied .
I have also noticed that national carrier is quietly passing the mantle to Jambojet on some routes like Nbi Malindi. We don’t have an issues with that but Jambojet is NOT KQ , older aircrafts , etc so they cannot purport to charge high ceiling rates yet they came In as a low cost carrier. 
Reality is that when we pushed too hard for low cost airlines , KQ quickly formed Jambojet and they got licensed . For KQ to now abandon some routes and give it to Jambojet who are fast evolving to be anotherKQ then we will once again start the fight to get real low cost airlines to be allowed into Malindi. Mombasa. Ukunda Diani even Lamu. 
Some may say it is yield management which even hoteliers use the same strategy to increase rates during high demand . My answer is simple you have 100+ hotels to choose from so you ain’t stuck with a KQ or Jambojet for a hotel.
My parting shot , a destination should not be kept at the mercy of an airline that is just not seeing the reality be it KQ and now Jambojet. Low cost carrier in time of high demand you don’t triple your rates you deploy more aircrafts and if you can’t cope then GOK not only licence but deliberately go out to entice more airlines to set up shop in Kenya. 
It is high time we thought abundance mentality and move away from these archaic short sighted scarcity mentality.
Twitter @mohammedhersi