WELCOME TO ISIOLO, KENYA

It is 2030 in Isiolo, Kenya. Located in the centre of the country, Isiolo has for the past decade been promoted as a resort city thanks to the proximity of the Samburu and Shaba Game reserves.

A major part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 Plan, Isiolo is in the process of being redeveloped to include casinos, hotels, upscale retail outlets - all resulting in jobs for the local population.

Key to that has been the airport, as a road journey to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi takes over five hours. The airport received a new terminal in 2017, and had its runway refurbished.

During the 2010s and 2020s, air services were sporadic.

East African did run some services to Wilson Airport in Nairobi, but by 2022 had stopped doing so as regional aviation involving a relatively small number of passengers can be expensive, once fuel and maintenance costs are factored in.

Thankfully by the end of the decade, flights had returned. They consist of electric and hybrid aircraft that provide five flights a day to Nairobi, an air distance of only 120 miles.

These electric aircraft are cheaper to maintain, which helps keep ticket prices down, and the noise levels are minimal.

One charge in Nairobi also works for the return flight, with a back-up charging station in Isiolo itself.

The result has been a boon to the local economy. Residents can be in Nairobi 5x faster than before on a zero carbon flight. Local exports, such as fresh flowers, are much easier to get out.

Tourists are also coming to the nearby game reserves, transferring from longer haul flights in Nairobi that are increasingly powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

The lodges and reserves themselves are committed to green tourism, resulting in end to end sustainable travel.