Nairobi — Kenya’s tourism will soon receive a shot in the arm after local firms launched a campaign to promote the country as a tourism destination within the East African region.
The campaign dubbed “Tembea Tujenge Afrika Mashariki” is aimed at promoting intra and inter-regional tourism as a way of reviving economies of East Africa Community member States post the COVID-19 pandemic which ravaged the tourism sector globally due to travel restrictions.
The local firms led by Isuzu East Africa, Tourism Fund, Safaricom, Equity Bank and Sarova Hotels in conjunction with the presidential Delivery Unit are expected to kick off the East Africa tour in Kampala, Uganda in August, 11 to 16, 2022.
Tembea Tujenge Kenya Ambassador Maina Kageni has said the road map for the East Africa tour will flow from Uganda, DRC Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and finally Zanzibar.
“The new regional tourism campaign is aimed at sourcing for and market multi-country packages through local influencers in each country to showcase simulated experiences,” said Maina.
Speaking in Nairobi during the unveiling of Trans Nzoia County campaign tour, Maina noted that since the launch of a campaign to promote local tourism, domestic travel growth is expected to outpace global tourism.
Isuzu East Africa Communications Manager Duncan Muhindi on his part expressed hope that the new initiative by local firms will help to boost the tourism sector within the East Africa sector.
“We are ready to market Kenya to the rest of the EAC member States as a way of promoting our tourism sector which is now recovering well after the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the sector. So far the “Tembea Tujenge Kenya” has covered 37 Counties for the last two years and we are expected to visit all the counties by the end of 2022,” stated Muhindi.
Speaking at the same event, Tembea Tujenge Kenya CEO Andrew Kanyutu added that 55domestic tourism has gained momentum through marketing campaigns aimed at attracting Kenyans to take up domestic tourism.
“The popularity of local national parks and attraction sites to the domestic market is on the rise. With the new campaign that will focus on EAC member States, we expect new opportunities especially from DCR who are new members of the EAC,” said Kanyutu.