The Kenyan Government has lined series of event in October that is expected to drive the growth of tourism in the country and also showcase the tourism potentials in Kenya.
The country’s tourism board recently initiated a Tourism Calendar packaged to attract more international tourists to the country.
According to atqnews.com, the calendar would include Festivals, Kenyas Traditional wildlife safari, beach tourism products, cultural, sports and food festivals.
Betty Radier, CEO (KTB) said the calendar would help to complement Kenya’s traditional wildlife safari and beach tourism products, adding that cultural, sport and food festivals should be included into the calendar to help people plan to attend the events.
County governments are now required to identify two tourism products that will be packaged as national attractions by KTB.
“We need to create experiences that are unique to various regions and boost their value via engagement of local communities,” said Radier. “Only then will we attract investments, create jobs and increase earnings for local communities.”
KTB is expected to make social marketing investments where various events and features across the country will be used to promote Kenya as a destination.
The country is yet taking another bold stride to make the country a choice destination in the continent.
A report by eturbonews.com, says Kenya will in six months’ time show itself off to the world with an unprecedented week of tourism promotion. During the first week of October, it will host the Africa Hotel Investment forum (AHIF), which is the highest-profile event of its type in Africa, attracting international investors from dozens of countries; it will stage the Magical Kenya Tourism Expo (MKTE), which is the largest travel trade show in East Africa and it will announce a package of measures to incentivize investment.
Kenya’s Head of State, Uhuru Kenyatta, will launch both events publicly on the morning of Wednesday October 3rd at a ceremony at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre. After joint sessions addressing tourism to Kenya in general, the more investment-focused discussions of AHIF will move to the Radisson Blu Upper Hill, Nairobi. On the Tuesday, there will be a program of inspection visits so incoming travel buyers, investors and journalists can see new attractions, infrastructure development projects and investment opportunities in person. The week’s formal activities will conclude on the Thursday evening, when outstanding examples of sustainable tourism will be recognized.
Speaking at a breakfast briefing at the InterContinental Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Hon. Najib Balala, said: “We are unveiling a new calendar of events in the tourism sector known as Kenya Tourism Festival (KTF), which will be an annual event that will add value to our tourism experiences. This is in line with our strategic objective of enhancing visitor experience, as well as increasing their stay in the country. The current traveler is keen on more experiences and options for choice, therefore, the festival seeks to meet some of those aspirations.”
Matthew Weihs, Managing Director, Bench Events said: “You have to take your hat off to the Cabinet Secretary; by bringing these two events together in this way, he has created a much more compelling reason for other destinations to come to Kenya to promote themselves, as they will be able to talk to both professional tourism buyers and international hotel investors in one trip. Also, senior-level hoteliers and tour operators will have the opportunity to meet each other and they will see each other taking a serious interest in Kenya on inspection visits.”
Dr. Betty Addero Radier, CEO, Kenya Tourist Board, concluded: “MKTE 2018 provides an opportunity to network and explore business opportunities at the leading travel trade expo in East Africa. We are targeting to bring on board 120 exhibitors and 160 hosted buyers. There was a 44 percent growth in exhibitor numbers with 195 exhibitors last year from 136 in 2016.”
Go Places Digital also reported that the KTB yesterday launched the Kenya Tourism Festival at the Intercontinental Hotel Nairobi.
The Festival according to Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Hon. Najib Balala, will take place from the 27th of September to the 3rd of October 2018. “We are very proud as Go Places and International Quality Awards Ltd, the Founders of the Chefs Delight Awards Kenya to have the Awards Program be one of the 5 major activities during the inauguration of the annual festival with the Gala Awards Ceremony for Awarding the Best Restaurants and Chefs in Kenya will be held on the evening of the 27th of September 2018, which coincides with the World Tourism Day.
