Kenya Takes Second Place for Best Tourism Stand in Africa at Outbound Travel Mart
Kenya scooped the second position for the best tourism stand in Africa at the just concluded Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai, India on Monday 6th February 2023. Mauritius Tourism Authority topped in the medium size exhibition category in the 3-day tourism expo that attracted over 1250 exhibitors from 50 countries and 30 Indian states marketing tourism business.
Saudi Arabia was ranked top under the large exhibition stand category followed by Qatar and Maldives in that order. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Acting Director of Market Development Fiona Ngesa said the exhibition and interactions provided at the Kenyan stand during the expo were able to pull a huge number of visitors to the Kenyan stand. “Besides our destination brand visibility, what is key for us is the number of business leads and conversions we have been able to get during the exhibition. The response from the market is positive and we look forward to increasing tourist numbers from the market, “says Fiona.
She added that OTM provided a platform for reconnection and re-entry into the market after a lull in travels occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic. India is the top five-performing tourism source market in Kenya and it recorded over 120,000 visitors in 2019. Last year, the market arrivals closed at 81,458 a recovery of 67% compared to the 2019 performance.
The Kenyan travel trade who were exhibiting in OTM expressed their optimism about increased business after the show. “We had good business leads for group travels and those coming for conferencing. This is a positive prospect for us,” says Crowne Plaza Nairobi Airport Sales Manager Luke Khaemba.
African Quest General Manager Taher Adamji said there was a lot of interest for Kenya among Indians adding that wildebeest migration remains a pulling factor for most of the potential tourists. “This OTM show has been a good comeback to the tourism business for Kenya into the Indian market. We have received many inquiries and already there is a massive request for the wildebeest migration, but we have taken the opportunity to pitch Kenya as a destination for diverse tourism attractions away from the Masai Mara game reserve”, says Adamji
Kenya Tourism Federation Chairman Fred Odek said the exhibition and travel roadshows mounted by KTB in key cities of India including Bangalore, New Delhi, and Ahmedabad were a strong show of Kenya’s re-entry into the Indian Market. He said Kenya’s competitiveness in diverse tourism offerings was attracting prospective visitors who are keen on experience and sustainable tourism practices. “Kenya has recorded strides in sustainable tourism, diverse experience offering in addition to other attributes that have made the destination competitive. We are leveraging this to reposition ourselves and a preferred tourist destination,” said the chairman.
The OTM fair that closed its curtain over the weekend saw 14 tourism players from Kenya making a physical presence in India after the Covid-19 pandemic hampered travels globally. Kenya’s High Commissioner to India Ambassador Willy Bett while visiting the Kenyan exhibition stand said golf tourism, MICE, weddings, and filming were increasingly becoming Kenya’s attraction to the Indian traveler and investors alike.
The Voice of Hospitality & Tourism
