KTB, two Kenyan firms feted at London tour awards

Politics and policy

Eva Rogo-Levenez at her ‘Back to the Roots’ fashion showcase at the Alliance Francaise in mid-October. Her necklace is a Maasai beaded wedding necklace and her dress is made using Kenyan kitenge. PHOTO | COURTESY 

 

By PAUL REDFERN

Kenyan tour operators may be set for a challenging week at the prestigious World Travel Market, which starts in London on Monday.

Three of the exhibitors have already received prestigious World Travel Awards for 2014.

For the second year in a row, Twiga Tours won Africa’s Responsible Tourism Award. The firm was also been named Kenya’s Leading Inbound Tour Company.

The Kenya Tourism Board successfully defended its title as Africa’s Leading Tourist Board. KTB took the prize for the third consecutive year.

The prestigious title of Africa’s Leading Game Reserve Brand was awarded to &Beyond, which has operations across southern Africa as well as Kenya and Tanzania.

Voters also recognised the Leopard Beach Resort & Spa from Diani Beach in Kenya, which captured the award for Africa’s Leading Spa Resort.

Despite the prestigious award, many tour operators are likely to be downbeat about the industry’s immediate prospects with Europeans and Americans shunning Kenyan beach and safari destinations because of travel advisories and continuing concerns over security.

Around 186,000 visitors from UK came to Kenya in 2012 but the number is expected to shrink dramatically this year.

There are 44 exhibitors from Kenya out of the nearly 9,500 present at this year’s WTM which finishes on Thursday (November 6).

The World Travel Market, which takes place in London every November, is the travel industry’s largest event with 5,000 exhibitors and 50,000 participants.

In 2013 the World Travel Market 2013 led to £2.2 billion in industry contracts for exhibitors negotiating business deals with more than 8,500 buyers.