Mt Kilimanjaro records rising numbers of tourists

Moshi. The number of tourist climbing Mt Kilimanjaro has risen sharply from four tourists in April to 420 in August who climbed Africa’s highest peak.
According to Kilimanjaro National Parks official Charles Ngendo 657 tourists have ascended Mt Kilimanjaro since the restriction related to the outbreak of Covid-19 were removed.
 “Before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic we received 1544 in March alone but after several countries closed their borders and airspace, the numbers took a nosedive. In April we received 4 visitors, whereas May recorded 3 tourists,” said Ng’endo
He added that in June 24 came, whereas July saw a great improvement with 206 tourists climbing the mountain.
Of the tourist who climbed the mountain during the past four months, 207 were from the EAC, 52 were foreigners who are residents in Tanzania, and 442 were students.
 Yesterday 400 tour guides and porters joined hands to clean up the camps on the several routes used to reach the mountain’s peak
The guides were also offered training on how to serve tourists especially in the post Covid-19 pandemic outbreak to make sure they leave the country safely.
The announcement comes at a time when three major international airlines (KLM, Qatar and Ethiopian airlines) are set to increase the number of flight frequency to Tanzania three months after the country opened its airspace to passenger flights.
 Ethiopian Airlines which was the first to resume flights to the Julius Nyerere International Airport is set to increases flights from four landings weekly to 14.
According to the Kilimanjaro Airports Development Company (Kadco) official, Catherine Mwakatobe, KLM has increased flights from one to four whereas Qatar Airways on the other hand has increased scheduled flights from two to 14.