World Travel Awards Africa Gala Awards still set for Nairobi, 16th October

World Travel Awards have confirmed the Africa Gala Ceremony will be taking place as scheduled in Nairobi Kenya on 16^thOctober, 2013. Kenya Tourism Board extended the invitation to World Travel Awards to hold the event in Nairobi in March of this year as part of the world’s premier travel awards programme’s 20^th Anniversary global tour to reward and acknowledge leading companies in the global travel, tourism and hospitality worldwide.

Graham Cooke, Founder and President of World Travel Awards declared; “The recent events in Nairobi were of course tragic, but postponing or cancelling our Gala Ceremony would not have helped the Government or the people of Kenya, for whom tourism forms a vital part of the country’s economy. We have not had one company who have been invited to attend the event cancel and we feel quite proud that the travel industry is showing solidarity to the Kenya Tourism Board.”

The Kenya Government has assured delegates of increased security measures from the airport through transfers and in the hotel venue where the gala will be held.  This being an international destination profiling event for Kenya, top government level representation and industry commitment to providing the best experiences for visitors to Kenya is assured.

Speaking at the WTA Gala dinner Awards Ceremony for Asia and Australia held in Dubai on 1^st October, the Kenya Tourism Board representative on behalf of Muriithi Ndegwa, Managing Director welcomed the WTA team and reassured of the best WTA gala event in the tour. “ We are all excited to be hosting WTA Africa Gala event and we trust that our guests will take back home memories of the best event ever, where the true African spirit, warmth and hospitality of the Kenyan people will be sampled”, read Muriithi’s speech.

While confirming Kenya’s prowess in hosting events and conferences, Muriithi has further confirmed that Kenya has just recently hosted two successful international events: The Eco-Tourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC 2013) and the Africa Hotels Investment Forum (AHIF 2013). The global endorsement of Kenya as a destination was further enhanced by Kenya’s recent win to host SKAL World Congress for 2015 in Mombasa.

‘We are glad that the government has reassured all visitors into the country that they are safe and will continue to enjoy unique experiences in magical Kenya’, added Muriithi Ndegwa. The unique experiences in Kenya this year include the unique occurrence that is set to excite tourists and astro-tourism enthusiasts from all over the world. The Hybrid solar eclipse which occurs on the 3^rd November, 2013 with Sibiloi National Park in Turkana, Northern Kenya, offering one of the best views. The Kenya Tourism Board will also be hosting its 3^rd edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), from 18^th to 20^th October at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, which will see over 120 hosted buyers from 30 different countries converge for tourism networking and business transactions as well as sample tourist attractions in various parts of the country.