STORY: Chinese market a pillar for the company: Kenya Airways CCO
SHOOTING DATE: May 10, 2024
DATELINE: May 14, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:18
LOCATION: Nairobi
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of KQ planes in Kenya
2. various of tourists
4. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JULIUS THAIRU, Chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways
5. various of China-Kenya cooperation
6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JULIUS THAIRU, Chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways

STORYLINE:

Speaking during a recent interview with Xinhua in Nairobi, Julius Thairu, chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways has said that China is a competitive market with a promising future.

Kenya is China's largest trading partner in East Africa, while China is Kenya's largest trading partner and source of imports. With its rich tourism resources and visa-free policy for all foreign visitors, Kenya is a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

According to Thairu, Kenya Airways has been recruiting Chinese-speaking cabin crew to better serve the expanding market. 

The Kenyan carrier entered the Chinese market in 2005. Currently, it runs weekly routes between Kenya's capital, Nairobi, and south China's Guangzhou.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JULIUS THAIRU, Chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways 
"We are intending to increase our footprint in China. So we are looking to fly to a second city in China."

Noting that China is about to hold a new meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation this year, Thairu expressed optimism over the future cooperation.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JULIUS THAIRU, Chief commercial and customer officer at Kenya Airways
"Agreements at government-to-government level will be taken that ultimately either spur economic development in my country, so creating more employment, but also bring in more travel from China to support some of those big agreements or big projects."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Nairobi.
(XHTV)