Malindi airport expansion revived – Kenya and Kilifi resume upgrade talks
Kenya’s national government and Kilifi County have reopened talks to revive the long-stalled expansion of Malindi International Airport, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano confirmed. The project sits within Kenya’s wider aviation and tourism agenda and aims to improve air access to the coast, addressing current constraints that limit the airport to small aircraft and require international travellers to route via Mombasa or Nairobi.
Plans under discussion include extending the runway by about 1.4 km to handle larger aircraft such as Boeing 737s, modernising the terminal and upgrading navigational systems. The upgrades are expected to enable potential direct services from Europe, the Middle East and Africa, ease pressure on Mombasa’s Moi International Airport and stimulate higher‑value tourism and investment. Industry stakeholders, including Pollmans Tours’ Mohamed Hersi, HotelOnline’s Håvar Bauck and Ocean Beach Resort’s Roberto Marini, have welcomed the momentum but stress timely, transparent delivery after earlier delays tied to compensation disputes and bureaucracy, noting interest from carriers such as Flydubai once runway constraints are resolved.
Source: Tourism Update