Tap EAC tourism market

Tourists tour the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. FILE PHOTO | NMG

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Summary

• The performance ranking puts the US at the third position after Uganda at a time rising Covid-19 cases have hampered arrivals from the West.
• The development should embolden Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism to develop strong strategies for tapping the huge market in Africa to grow and stabilise earnings.
• Tourism from European countries is crucial but has proved before to be highly susceptible to events such as terrorism threats blown out of proportion and lately the Covid-19 pandemic.

News that Tanzania has edged out the US as the leading source of tourists that came to Kenya in September offers a glimpse of the untapped African tourism potential.

The performance ranking puts the US at the third position after Uganda at a time rising Covid-19 cases have hampered arrivals from the West.

The development should embolden Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism to develop strong strategies for tapping the huge market in Africa to grow and stabilise earnings.

Tourism from European countries is crucial but has proved before to be highly susceptible to events such as terrorism threats blown out of proportion and lately the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the spending by African tourists may not be as high as that from countries such as the US and the UK, growing the numbers can make the continent a crucial source of earnings.

The East African Community countries have traditionally proved to be key trading partners for Kenya and the same should be extended to tourism.

Kenya should come up with clear approaches to address areas such as pricing, destinations to visit and the foods to serve to attract African tourists.