The 2nd of December 1998 will go down in the history of Kearsley Tanzania Ltd. as the most important milestone as it marks the successful completion of 50 years of dedicated and matchless service to the air transportation and tourism sectors of our country's economy.

During these 50 years of its operation, the company has played a leading part in the development of air travel and tourism in Tanzania and has built an unrivalled reputation both locally and internationally for its clients and the travelling public at large.

During this epoch-making period, the company has successfully sailed through changing times, from pre-independence colonial rule to post independence state monopoly economy and now to market economy with stiff competition prevailing in all sectors of the economy, especially in travel and tours. Throughout this period of ups and downs in the economy, the company has maintained its leading role on account of its business acumen, talented management and fine judgement. It still continues to maintain its clout on the market inspite of the mushrooming of the travel agencies and tour operator companies in recent years.

Originally a fully owned subsidiary of J.W Kearsley (UK) Ltd., a company owned by Cory Brothers Ltd. and a member of Powell Duffryn Group, it changed hands in 1974, when it was sold to N.V. Patel & Brothers Ltd., a locally owned holding company with a wide interest in agriculture and agro- chemical industries, air and sea transportation and general trading. Since that date the management of the company and the control over its policy has passed to the local board of directors consisting of entirely Tanzanians who have managed the company admirably and developed it to its present top position inspite of the economic odds facing the markets everywhere at present.