Tourists from Poland relax at the Sarova Taita Hills Lounge in Taita Taveta County on Friday, 15th July 2017. The 35 Polish tourists arrived in the country aboard their chartered Polish Airlines to boost tourism in the Country.[Maarufu Mohamed,Standard].

The number of tourists visiting the idyllic Taita Hills Wildlife Sanctuary from Poland has increased.

The tourists are taking advantage of a direct charter flight from Warsaw introduced last year to come and sample the attractions on offer.

Last July, Polish-based Small Planet Charter, operated by Tui Poland, made a grand inaugural direct flight into Mombasa's Moi International Airport from Poland.

The airline has been making weekly trips to Mombasa after the Government introduced charter flight incentives in efforts to boost international arrivals into Mombasa.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala recently said Kenya's tourism was proud to receive the Polish charter, which will be touching down every Thursday until end of October.

Yield results

Mr Balala said the incentive programme was beginning to yield results.

And Sarova Taita Hills and Salt Lick Lodges General Manager Willie Mwadillo said since the charter flights made their inaugural flights, business had increased.

"We have wonderful attraction sites here, including remnants of the 1st World War. The Polish were greatly affected when the Germans first attacked them as the war spread from Europe to Africa. They like sampling our min-museum and asking lots of questions concerning the war in East Africa," said Mr Mwadillo, one of Kenya's certified battlefield tour guides.

The weekly charter flights to Mombasa from Epwa International Airport in Warsaw bring in more than 200 visitors.

"The Polish guests have now prolonged their stay from six to nine days. This is a boost to Coast tourism," he said.

In an earlier interview, Tui Group Resident Manager Tim Remberg had hinted on a second weekly flight.

[Philip Mwakio]