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Fly748.com expects domestic air travel surge as Kenya prepares for AFCON 2027 and World Athletics Championships 2029

By Odipo RiagaOctober 19, 20262 min read

Fly748.com expects domestic air travel surge as Kenya prepares for AFCON 2027 and World Athletics Championships 2029

You will see that fly748.com anticipates increased demand for domestic air travel as Kenya prepares to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2029 World Athletics Championships, a development that signals growing sports tourism activity across the country. The airline expects that the events will draw athletes, fans, officials, sponsors and business delegations, creating a need for more frequent flights between major cities and coastal destinations.

George Oduor, head of scheduled services at fly748.com, said domestic airlines have an important role in easing travel for visitors across Kenya. He noted that this support will strengthen sports tourism growth by linking major cities with coastal destinations. As demand grows, domestic airlines have an important role to play in making it easier for visitors to travel across the country and experience more of what Kenya has to offer beyond the sporting events themselves, he added.

You can see that fly748.com currently operates scheduled passenger flights connecting Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Terminal 2 to Mombasa and Ukunda Diani, providing convenient access to two leading coastal tourism destinations, a network that supports sports tourism development. The airline continues to explore opportunities to expand its domestic and regional network in response to market demand and evolving travel needs, a strategy that aligns with the expected increase in visitor numbers.

Oduor also pointed out that major sporting events can stimulate domestic travel by encouraging Kenyans to explore new regions, a factor that benefits sports tourism across the nation. Domestic tourism is an equally important part of this opportunity. Sporting events can encourage Kenyans to travel across the country, support local businesses and discover destinations they might not otherwise visit. Reliable air services can make these journeys more convenient while connecting tourism operators and communities to new markets, he said.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano reported that Kenya welcomed approximately 2.7 million international visitors in 2025 generating an estimated KSh 500 billion in earnings while domestic tourism recorded about 5.2 million bed nights during the same period, figures that illustrate the scale of sports tourism potential. The government aims to attract 5.5 million international visitors by 2028 through continued investment in infrastructure, destination marketing, digital transformation and tourism product diversification, a plan that also involves regional neighbours such as Uganda and Tanzania.

Principal Secretary Ambassador Professor Julius K. Bitok noted that the upcoming sporting calendar offers Kenya and its neighbours Uganda and Tanzania a chance to benefit from increased visitor flows, a prospect that supports sports tourism development across the region. Preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations are already generating discussions among stakeholders on accommodation, infrastructure and capacity to accommodate large numbers of visitors. The successful bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships adds another avenue to raise Kenya's international tourism profile.

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