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Efforts to launch a joint Marketing strategy aimed at promoting the East African Community (EAC) as a single travel package for tourists appear to have  hit a snag a the region’s council of ministers dither over common tourist Visa.

The joint marketing drive has been continuing informally since the launching by the region’s state run tourism agencies of a common marketing strategy designed on showcase the East African region as a single destination with unique attractions.

Dr Ongong’a Achieng, the Chief Executive officer of the  Kenya tourist  Board (KTB), said  the plan to introduce the tourist Visa has been facing what he termed  as  impediments which could be sorted soon by the EAC council of ministers.

“We have been doing our best to Market the East African Community as a destination . However , there are some  impediments to be sorted. We are consulting  on how best to deal with these impediments,” Dr. Achieng  told  journalists in Nairobi early last week. The EAC secretariats has listed the single tourist Visa among its foremost future plans and had initially hoped that it would  have been agreed upon by  five states, Burundi, Kenya , Rwanda , Uganda and Tanzania by November 2006.

However, the EAC council of ministers, which is the designated decision making authority on all matters that touch  on the sovereignty, revenue, policy and immigration matters is yet to agree on the joint Visa for tourists.

During his speech to Journalists  in the launch of the Tourism study commissioned  by the board and funded by  European  Union through  the Tourism Trust Fund, Dr Achieng said that demand for tour packages that cover the entire region  has risen

He said that tourists have been demanding to sample the entire array of tourist destinations to sample the entire array of tourist attractions spread across East Africa, from Mombassa’s  breathtaking beaches, Tanzania’s Ngorongoro craters, the Chimpanzee parks, in Tanzania Uganda and Rwanda’s mountain gorillas.

He also said that there are tourist who desire to visit the entire region  all the way to Zanzibar but you cannot  promise them a single Visa because this is not yet implemented by the ministers. He however added that the joint marketing strategy has been applied during international tourism exhibitions where the tents of all the five states in the region are set close to each other.

The  EAC secretariat’s desire for  the joint marketing strategy was that  it should have  been agreed up by November of 2006 ahead of  the World travel fair in London but the plan  fell behind schedule and relapsed.

According to the plan , a tourist would apply for a Visa in any of the five  states and this Visa would be applicable  for travel to all the countries.

Tourist boards from Kenya , Uganda and Tanzania are the Joint inventors of the Plan, a cross-cutting measure which aims to standardize all tourism facilities in the region, including Visas, the hotels and any other tourism facilities.

Tanzania tourist Board favors a system where the various countries market their tourist attractions independently with a joint banner bearing common features designed by the EAC secretariat on the back ground of all the booths.

These initiatives are aimed at ensuring decisions made by the council of ministers on promotion and cooperation in tourism is implemented.

Meanwhile Tanzania is Kenya’s most serious competitor as a destination for worldwide after the united  States followed by the united Kingdoms and South Africa.

Uganda also ranks among  the top 10 destinations in the world with 6.2% preference level compared with the 21.7% who prefer to travel to the US.

Tanzania is closer at 17.5%.

This is a powerful indicator that  the East Africa Region has  potential to become the world’s biggest single global tourist attraction as a single global tourist attraction as a single package rather than a disjointed Bloc.

By Tanah Hadijah

EAST AFRICAN SAFARI

The Brussels Airlines Group is focusing its wager in DR Congo with a marginal buy in.

This Belgian hauler with 2.800 employees recently acquired a 49% minority stake in Hewa Bora Airways, one of the country’s principal airlines based in Barumbi, Kinshasa with provincial and household services.

Hewa Bora Airways Group, keeping hold of the remaining 51%, flies to Brussels, Doula, Johannesburg, Lagos, Lome and Abuja.

Brussels Airlines procured the ample stake through its associate, the Mauritius based Pan African Airlines Leasing Company Ltd that is specialized in the development of African aviation projects and aviation partnerships.

Brussels Airlines’ CEO Mr. Philippe Vander Putten  stated that the company  is very happy  that they can build together with their partner a new airline project for the Congo that will become in no time the aviation allusion of the country.

Even though there are no minutiae about the cost of operation or when the new airline will commence operations, a warrant from the authorities has been granted.

With a fleet of 49 aircraft and connecting its home base at Brussels Airport with over 50 European destinations, Brussels Airlines will provide both management resources and operational know how to Bora Howa.

Market commentators say that the European carrier will use Hewa Bora’s in-depth occurrence in the country with the latter even selling tickets on the Kinshasa - Brussels service operated by Brussels Airlines through a code share agreement.

Hewa Bora had 13 different aircraft as at March 2007.

Vander Putten. articulated that Brussels Airlines will share all its operational knowledge, acquired during 80 years of aviation experience in Africa, with the new company

The new found relationship will help unlock DR Congo’s vast hinterland to the rest of the world thus creating more business opportunities in one of Africa’s largest countries.

The airline will also improve its existing flights into DR Congo with the introduction of non-stop flights from Brussels - Kinshaha.

BY TANAH HADIJAH

AFRICA TRAVEL  NEWS 

Due to the growig demand for services on the route, Kenya Airways will add a fourth flight to its Bamako-Dakar route The flight is scheduled to begin on the 3rd o february 2007.

Mr Titus Naikuni the airline’s managing director applauded that ever since they began making flights toDakar, there have been increasing demands for kenya airways services which entailed them toadd another scheduled flight. The plane will leave Jomo Kenyatta airport on the 3rd ofFebrausy this Sarturday morning at 0855 hours stoping at Bamako , Malin then reach dakar at 1545 hours.

The airline’s managing director, Mr Titus Naikuni, said a new flight was an indication of the growing demand for services on the route. Kenya Airways flies thrice a week and the services to Dakar and Bamako link East to West and promote growth in African tourism and commercial activities.

By Tanah Hadijah

Kenya Travel News

The yearly wildebeest exodus, when a herd of various animals relocate to Serengeti in Tanzania from the Maasai Mara in Kenya, has been the next is the occurrence proclaimed as the new wonder of the world by Americans. This will advance the region more as a tourist destination. Tourists to the Serengeti National Park have long known that this superb scene, habitat to liberally roaming wildebeest, elephants, cheetahs, lions, zebras, and giraffes, is a natural wonder of supreme brilliance. It is now that the two leading American media houses of ABC Tv and USA Today have announced it that Tanzania’s tourism destination will develop more. In a statement, Peter Mwenguo the managing director of the Tanzania Tourist Board said Tanzania has taken careful measures to protect the country from becoming a mass tourism destination, opting to protect the land and the animals. This announcement will add to Tanzania Tourism sites marketing and hence it will gain popularity.

By Tanah Hadijah

Tanzania Travel News

For the first time, the East African Community tourist board has accepted to jointly take part in international tourism marketing fare in Berlin, German.

The managing directors of the sister boards and EAC officials recently converged in London to resolve the plan and in their meeting; they pledged to implement the decision of promoting regional tourism in east Africa.

In a statement, they agreed that there was need to involve the private and public sectors in the harmonization of polices.

In a statement from the East African Community Secretariat , they proclaimed that the policies in the three countries aimed at promoting East Africa as one tourism destination was greatly stressed at the meeting.

The progress of the integration of the East African tourist sector was also emphasized with the establishment of a tourism desk at the EAC secretariat in Arusha

Representative were James Bahinguza of Uganda Tourist Board (UTB), managing director, Peter Mwenguo, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), Dr Ongong’a Achieng, managing director Kenya Tourist Board (KTB).

The meeting was chaired by Magaga the public relations officer of the EAC and Dr Calebo Weggoro, the EAC sectoral Economist .

BY Tanah Hadijah

Africa Travel News

As per figures released by Kenya Tourist board, the earnings from Kenya’s tourism industry are anticipated to increase to $1 billion mark if the growth in the tourism industry continues at the same prevailing pace added to the investments in new markets such as China.

As for the first three billets of this year, tourist arrivals came up by nearly 12% over the 2005 figures, a trend that is anticipated to persist as more visitors turn up during the last quarter. KTB ascribes the continued growth to intensive marketing labors in traditional markets, as well as maneuvers into earlier on unexploited regions such as the Far East and China.

The Board sent a 35-member to the World Tourism Market London exhibition (WTM) where exhibitors from over 150 countries were contending to cord in high-spending tourists. The 35-person Kenyan delegates at the fair included Kenya’s executive of tourism Wanjiru Makanga as well as  KTB chairman Jakes Grieves-Cook and chief official Ongong’a Achieng.

Last week’s London push arose with labors to market Kenya to China during the Chinese-African Summit. KTB executives including Dr Achieng’ escorted  President Mwoi Kibaki to the conference.

According to the latest global tourism figures released at the London fair , Kenya, Swaziland, South Africa, Mozambique, and Seychelles have some of the highest tourism growth rates in the world, and are largely responsible for the sector’s 12.6 % expansion in Africa over the first eight months of this year.

If it keeps up this growth, Kenya’s tourism industry will realize a greater development.

By Tanah Hadijah

Kenya Tourism News 

TTF has initiated another study to asses the role of the tourism sector on Kenya’s economy. This study was last taken in 1996 when tourism accounted for 9.2% Kenya’s GNP and a total of 11.2% of its national revenue.

This study is anticipated to take 6 months upto march 2007 and it will review the current study as compared to the previous and it will be funded by European Union.

It will slot in the new survey results using the data from Key stakeholders such as Kenya Tourist Board (KTB), the central Bureau of statistics, the Kenya institute of public policy research analysis, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and the Kenya Association of Tour Operators.

It will asses the expenditure by domestic and international tourists and also by tour operators on organizing their tours plus the hotels and international airline usages of tourists. The seminar will also look at the employees in the sector, the government revenues and also the taxations as they are also micro tourism objects.

Dr Dan Kagagi, the chief executive officer of the Fund said that the study will bring up The trickle down effect from tourism to the grassroots and also help the sector urge the government for more financial support, especially in the lead up to the 2007 budget.

The outcomes of the study will be proclaimed after the seminar in March 2oo7 and the results in the same month. The study group will be led by David McEwen, a consultant with Tourism and Transport Consult International, a Dublin-based consultancy, assisted by Clement Nyamongo, previously with the Ministry of Tourism, who worked on the 1996 study.

Kenya’s tourism has meticulously recovered from political volatility that rocked the country in the early 1990’s. Most recent statistics from KTB indicate that the sector raked Kenya Shillings 49 billion (USD 671 million) in 2005 ahead of tea which is its second largest earner and also Horticulture.

The European Union has worked hand in hand with KTB to spot key areas of need that need to be developed and marketed by Kenya as an aptitude and prime tourist destination.

By Tanah Hadijah

Kenya Tourism News 

An overhaul has begun at the Moi International airport in Mombasa.

Kenya Airports Authority has proclaimed the commencement of the facelift and this is anticipated to take three months.

Outworkers have pitched camp at the facility for the repairs targeting the IAAF World Cross Country championships in the coastal town which are due for next year.

Mr John Mugo the Aiport manager said the renovation will be complete by February next year.

All the necessary repairs will be enhanced to make the done to ensure that the airport meets international standards.

Once the repairs are through, all problems will be minimized.

The car park will be up graded, as it will be made to accommodate at least 400 vehicles, the terminal will be broadened to avoid congestion and the long queues that have been encountered in the past.

When asked about how much the renovation will cost, Mugo did not give the amount.

Air transport and recreation are important factors for tourism  development and once this air port is overhauled, Kenya  will realize a rise in Mombasa’s Tourism .

By Tanah Hadijah

Kenya Tours News 

Beginning on 21^st of November 2006, The Tourism Trust Fund (TTF) will be hosting the the e-tourism in Nairobi. This will be the first ever e-tourism summit in to be hosted in Nairobi.  TTF will discucs about the new resources and technologies available to small companies and community based tourism drawing participation from tourism , communication and finances sector.

 

It will also horde the event that looks forward to raising accessible prospects through online tourism and the jeopardy of Kenya mislay its market to other upcoming and contending destinations.
 

The seminars will also center on e- commerce in Africa, progress in setting up a single e-tourism portal for Kenya synchronizing the sector into a single facts gathering site.
 

TTF chief executive, Dr Dan Kagagi said that Kenya as a tourism destination will risk losing to it competitors if She doesn’t transform to e-tourism.

 

Kigagi added that an augment in the online bookings has been realized and soon it will dominate the whole world’s global tourism business as most competing destinations are making use of online communications in marketing and selling of their tourism products.

 

Crucial speakers in this summit will include legislative bodies and counselors from the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and the World Tourism Organization.
 

It has been acknowledged that over 70% of the frequent travelers use the Internet for travel preparation.
 

Kenya is the sixth most popular destination in Africa, followed by Uganda and 6^th in Africa behind South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, Egypt and Morocco.

 

Kenya’s products like beaches and wildlife, rank 49^th on the global plat form and once they keep on improving by initiating the innovatives got from  the TTF  summit, then Kenya will realize more prosperity in it’s tourism industry.

 

By Tanah Hadijah