Kenya woos West African tourists

In a strategic move to enhance economic ties between East and West Africa, Kenya is extending a warm welcome to Ghanaian tourists – aiming to boost inter-Africa trade.

The Kenyan government, recognising the potential for collaboration, commenced the implementation initiatives to showcase the country’s diverse attractions and foster a deeper cultural exchange.

Against this backdrop, the Kenya Tourism Board and Kenya Airways are spearheading a consortium of more than 15 travel trade companies for in-market activations scheduled from February 5th to 9th, 2024.

Dubbed the Magical Kenya West Africa Roadshow—Nigeria and Ghana, the events will take place in various cities across both countries and anticipate the participation of over 400 trade partners.

Addressing the Ghana Roadshow’s audience in Accra, Eliphas Barine – Kenyan High Commissioner to Ghana, emphasised that the cross-continental tourism initiative signifies a positive stride in bolstering regional partnerships and promoting economic growth across the African continent.

“So, the whole idea is for us to share experiences and build connections. When I see the teams here, it’s not just about business; it’s about friendship, skills development, networking and more. The roadshow being presented here offers us a tremendous opportunity to share insights, collaborate and promote tourism between our two countries,” he said.

“Today marks one of my happiest moments, because the work we’ve been doing is bearing fruit. The challenge now is to sustain this conversation as we return to our respective places. What can keep us connected? Once we leave here, we’ll go back to our usual business and much of this may be lost. We need to determine what will maintain our connection beyond this event,” he added.

Underscoring Kenya’s commitment to enhancing trade and collaboration across the continent, Mr. Barine said the East African country has several agreements and instruments with Ghana to “deepen their relationship” for the betterment of their citizens.

The Marketing Manager Business Development of Kenya Tourism, Fiona Ngesa, said the West African market is integral to Kenya’s strategy of diversifying tourist source markets and broadening the country’s destination portfolio.

“The Kenya Tourism aims to market Kenya as a sustainable, all-year-round diverse and authentic tourism destination – leveraging on its diverse products and professional private sector members to offer value added activities and experimental holidays in order to sustainably increase tourism yield and profits,” she said.

On his part, Principal and Chief Executive Officer-Kenya Utalii College, Anthony K. Mbehelo, reiterated that coming to Ghana “is one of the best decisions we could ever make”.

He mentioned that the college is ready to assist Ghana’s tourism sector in enhancing its capabilities for significant growth.

“We aim to assist and support your trade by enhancing capacity in the hotel and tourism sectors. If you grant us this opportunity, your service levels could become one of the best in Africa. The second request we have for you is to consider a partnership. The proposal we present is a call for us to collaborate for the betterment of Africa,” he said.

“We want to reestablish and reconnect the partnership that existed before. If you provide us with your people, we will transform your students into professionals. Finally, we wish to enhance your research capabilities. As a college, we have invested in research and can support you in achieving much more,” he added.

The West Africa roadshow comes as the Kenya Tourism Board has heightened marketing endeavours throughout the continent, recognising it as a crucial source for Kenya’s tourism.

Statistics from the Tourism Research Institute (TRI) indicate that in the ten months leading up to October 2023, arrivals from Africa comprised 651,152 visitors – constituting 40.7 percent of total arrivals.

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