Nairobi, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Julius Sairu, chief commercial and customer officer of Kenya Airways, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency that China's aviation industry is performing well and he is full of confidence in the Chinese market. Next year, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of KQ's entry into the Chinese market, KQ plans to open a new direct route from Nairobi to Beijing, "which will bring the hearts of China and Africa closer together".
Kenya Airways is Kenya's largest airline, headquartered in Nairobi, which entered the Chinese market in 2005 and currently operates the Nairobi-Guangzhou route. "Our goal is to be the pride of Africa, connecting Africa with the world. To achieve this, the Chinese market is crucial. Sairu said.
In the past few years, against the backdrop of the global economy being hit hard by the pandemic, China has continued to actively invest in Africa and has become Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, said Sairu said. China's emphasis on Africa "gives us full confidence, and we will continue to work with our Chinese partners to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results."
In addition to traditional trade, Chinese tourists have become more interested in visiting Africa in recent years. Kenya is rich in tourism resources, and tourism plays a vital role in its economy. From January 2024, Kenya will be visa-free for visitors from all over the world, and visitors will only need to submit an application online and obtain an electronic travel authorization to enter the country.
Sairu said that at present, KQ's customers are mainly corporate customers engaged in business and labor activities, and the occupancy rate in the peak season remains above 90%, and the visa facilitation is expected to attract more Chinese tourists to travel to Kenya. The plan to open new routes responds to market demand and shows that the economies of Kenya and China are very dynamic.
In 2006, Sayiru represented Kenya Airways at the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. "It was my first time in China, and at the end of the forum I played the Swahili song 'Malaika' ('Angel') live, and I was overjoyed and fell in love with the country." In the following decades, Sairu visited Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, Guangzhou and other cities, each time marveling at the changes in China.
According to Sairu, after years of rapid growth, China has become a more mature economy. The C919 large passenger aircraft, independently developed by China, is not only a scientific and technological innovation achievement of China, but also a manifestation of the high-quality development of China's economy.
When it comes to the new summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which will be held in Beijing this fall, Sairu is full of expectations. "I hope that the leaders of China and Africa will discuss the future development and cooperation plans, move more, and let KQ fly more frequently and farther in China."