Kenya to showcase diverse tourism products at World Travel Market

Kenya's stakeholders in the hospitality and travel sector plan to travel to Britain next week to showcase the East African country's rich diversity of tourism products, tourism marketing body said on Friday. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) MD Muriithi Ndegwa said 50 Kenyan firms who have confirmed participation will be among the 5,000 suppliers of travel and tourist products from all over the world showcasing tourism products at the World Travel Market (WTM). Speaking ahead of the event, Ndegwa said Kenya will use the opportunity to reassure the trade and consumer trade and consumer that the country is safe despite reported security incidences in the recent past. "Coming from the recent insecurity incidences in the country, this is yet another opportunity for us to re-build confidence among the trade selling Kenya," said Ndegwa. He said the WTM exhibition which will be held on Nov. 4-7 in London is the biggest travel global event of the travel and hospitality industry. Tourism players had already rolled out plans to manage any crisis that could emerge during and after elections by placing some of their people on the ground in areas considered to be flash point areas to give updates in case of any changes to security situation so that tour operators can re-route visitors. Tourism is the second largest source of foreign exchange revenue for Kenya after tea, with the main tourist attractions being photo safaris through 19 national parks and game reserves, though the country has been diversifying to other areas like eco- tourism, conference tourism and cultural tourism. The Kenyan delegation will be meeting to discover and negotiate the latest travel industry trends and opinions, at the WTM which is now in its 34th year. Ndegwa said the Kenya tourism stand themed 'the best of Kenya' will focus on the hospitality of the Kenyan people and the resilience of the country at the background of insecurity and perceived terrorist threats. "The World Travel Market has come at a time when Kenya's tourism industry is on an upward momentum, having had peaceful elections, and withstood the shocks associated with the fire at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the terror attack at Westgate Mall," he said. He also pointed out that as we celebrate our 50th anniversary, this is a perfect opportunity to showcase Kenya's unique and diversified tourism products to consumers, trade and the media all over the world and to promote Kenya's new routes and products focusing on diversity and unique undiscovered attractions. "The Kenyan trade will present niche product offers with endless opportunities for culture, Meeting Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE), adventure, coast, sports safaris eco- tourism, among others," Ndegwa said. World Travel Market which takes place annually is a vibrant four day business to business event presenting a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to Britain and international travel professionals with a unique opportunity for the whole global travel trade to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business under one roof. Britain is Kenya's leading market in tourism arrivals and WTM looks to strengthen Kenya's distribution channel in the British market and to give Kenya's travel trade a platform to conduct business with international trade and consumers.