Somak Holidays is predicting a 25% increase in business in 2000 with the launch of free regional connections to Heathrow from 13 UK airports.
The daily service which begins on January 10 2000 is based on flights with Kenya Airways/KLM UK.
“It is exciting news for us. In the past we have offered free connections on BA but the cost of BA compared with Kenya Airways has put people off,” explained product manager Stuart Britton.
“This widens the whole product, making it UK-wide. It should increase our traffic quitesignificantly.”
The service is featured in the operator’s first ever dedicated East Africa brochure launched in response to a recovery in interest in the region. “Kenya has had a lot of problems in recent years with political unrest and the effects of El Nino. We think it deserves a higher profile now,” said Britton.
Although the brochure carries details of charter holidays, the main focus is on holidays at the luxury end of the market, an indication of Somak’s plans to reposition itself as an upmarket specialist. For example, new this year is the Flying Safari, which starts at £1,914 per person for two nights in Nairobi and three nights at the Kirawira camp.
“We will always feature charters because it gives us more buying power but we have made a definite policy decision to emphasise quality product,” said Britton.
“We have to get the name as recognisable among consumers as Kuoni.”
Britton said that whereas previously Somak’s business has been split 70/30 in favour of charters, the operator is trying to increase its schedule traffic until it accounts for 60%of the operators’ business.