| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 15/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 43 |
| Copyright: Other |
EASTAFRICA
Running wild: viewing wildlife remains the top attraction in Africa although tourism officials are pushing other activitiesThe Kenya Tourist Board is hoping to raise awareness of the country and boost tourism figures with a promotional visit to the UK.
The managing director of the Kenya Tourist Board Beatrice Buyu is planning to visit the UK in July to meet key trade partners and members of the press as part of her drive to reverse the poor tourism figures to Kenya.
Buyu initially came to the UK on a fact-finding mission following her appointment in February this year. She is returning in July for a week of meetings with tour operators and journalists. “We have major operators we want to work closely with on joint material,” said Buyu.
The UK visit is just one strand of a multi-faceted initiative to boost tourism which has suffered over the past three years as a result of civil unrest and the US embassy bombing in 1998. Buyu believes the government is also partly to blame for letting Kenya slip off the tourism map.
“For a long time the government took tourism for granted. We relied on our reputation to carry us forward and did not do a lot of marketing and that cost us market share. There is a lot of competition from other African countries and our priority is to be able to put the marketing in place so we can sell Kenya actively,” she said.
As a sign of its commitment to winning back tourists, the government has more than doubled the KTB’s budget this year, although Buyu said it is too early to say exactly how the money will be spent.
“There is a new energy towards reviving the tourist industry and everybody is committed to getting it back on stream,” she added.
One priority is to diversify the options offering beyond Kenya’s core product of beach and safari holidays. “If you look at consumer trends, holidaymakers don’t just want to lie on a beach. They want to be active and learn.
“We have 37 golf courses across the country so we want to push that. Also with 42 tribes we have a very strong cultural heritage which we want to highlight. We have beautiful scenery from the coast to the Rift Valley to Mount Kenya,” she said.
Kenya has hosted three major conferences this year and Buyu plans to build on this. “We want to encourage conference and incentive business not only because it is high yielding but also because it will fill hotels in the low season,” said Buyu.
Somak managing director Stuart Britton said that although the number of bookings to Kenya has not increased, seats have sold earlier than last year and revenue is up because yield per passenger has risen. For example, the two-star Bamburi Beach Hotel did cost £500 for 14 nights last year but is now £699.
The operator is confident about Kenya’s ability to re-establish itself and has linked up with African Safari Airways to provide additional capacity this summer with a direct weekly Gatwick-Mombasa flight from July 10.
“Our normal charter and scheduled series to Kenya sold out very early this year which is why we are increasing capacity based on the African Safari Airways flights,” said Britton.
A new package comprising a five-night safari sandwiched between two four-night beach stays leads in at £1,139. “It gives people a chance to chill out on a beach for a couple of days before heading off on Safari,” said Britton.
While Kenya is trying to find its feet again after a difficult period, Tanzania is growing in popularity, so much so that operators are struggling to find rooms.
Elite Vacations managing director Peter Jackson said: “The lure of Tanzania is that it is not as commercial as Kenya. It is proving extremely popular and there will be a period when accommodation is limited.”
Last year the country attracted 500,000 visitors, 65,000 of whom came from the UK, compared with 53,900 in 1998. The increasing volume of tourists has prompted the government to open up new areas in the south to take pressure off the top attractions of the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti National Park.
Commercial councillor at the Tanzania High Commission Simon Mlay said: “If tourism continues to increase at the same rate to the north, it will not be sustainable. The government is providing the infrastructure to make other areas such as Selous Game Reserve more accessible. The reserve is almost the size of Ireland and provides fantastic opportunities for walking safaris.”