Kenya Tourism Board boosts regional tourism by targeting West Africa

Kenya has kicked off massive tourism marketing campaigns in West Africa by launching travel trade training sessions in different regions of Ghana and Nigeria.

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) says the two countries have shown all the indications of contributing to the Kenya's tourism growth as Kenya turns to emerging markets and the Africa region for more tourists.

"West Africa is potential to us and this is the beginning of our efforts to tapping into the market that has high spenders with willingness to spend" says KTB Regional Marketing Manager Fred Okeyo during the launch of travel trade training and media engagement programs underway in the cities of Ghana and Nigeria.

KTB is training about 200 travel agents in West Africa as well as media engagement programs in a bid to equip them with information on Kenya's tourism products.

Last year Ghana and Nigeria recorded about 23,000 arrivals to Kenya, a figure KTB says will be increased significantly soon as a result of aggressive marketing being put in place.

Besides holiday leisure, education, conferencing and medical tourism are becoming key tourism products attracting Nigerians to Kenya.

Kenya High Commissioner to Nigeria Tom Amolo says assurance about the safety of destination is one of the key messages the Embassy will be pitching during the ongoing Kenya at 50 celebrations.

"We have continued to reassure the market of Kenya's safety and her conducive business for tourism business and other economic activities” says the Ambassador.

Kenya Airways sales manager in charge of Nigeria Diran Oloyede said the airline will launch a direct flight from Abuja direct to Nairobi early next year so as to handle the expected increase of travelers to Kenya.

"With these marketing activities by KTB, we will expect interest of travelers to Kenya and the launch of direct flight to Nairobi will come in handy" says the manager.

Currently Kenya airways airline operates Nigeria through Lagos ten times a week. At the moment passengers from Abuja are forced to fly to Lagos to catch Kenya airways flight direct to Nairobi.

Travelers have termed the introduction of direct flight from Abuja to Nairobi as a major Milestone in easing access to Kenya.