Travel advisories have been lifted and enforced only on specific locations and situations unlike before when isolated incidents happen a blanket Travel advisory is issued for the whole country.
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Visits by foreign dignitaries like @FLOTUS@BarackObama@theresa_may and many prominent persons creates interest and confidence to visit the destination #magicalkenya#TembeaKenya#TourismTrendsKEhttps://t.co/y7rmEvA70p
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#magicalkenya hosted various international conferences that contributed to the growth 2018 - African Union Ministerial Sub-Committee on Tourism , 79th SKAL Congress, Sustainable Blue Economy, Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF) #TourismTrendsKE#TembeaKenya
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The ease of doing business in #Kenya has allowed international brand hotels to set-up in the country. In 2018 we had 68 global hotel brands and we expect another 20 global hotel brands to set-up in the next 5 years.
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Growth in the Aviation sector ranging from the Expansion, modernization, & improvement of services at JKIA @KenyaAirports . @KenyaAirways direct flights to New York. @airfrance from Paris. @qatarairways to Mombasa and the various charter flights by @TUIGroup@Condor ,LOT, NEOS https://t.co/VP3v3b6noi
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Revitalised marketing efforts by @MagicalKenya - Global Media campaigns, @KenyaAirways branding partnership, @KenyaRailways_ SGR partnership, Digital marketing, overal brand visibility and information at Tourist sites #TourismTrendsKE#TembeaKenya
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Improved security - Government continues to invest more in the security sector with innovations in security management, this has improved the safety of both tourists and Kenyans.
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The open border policy for Africans where they get visa on arrival has also helped boost intra-Africa travel. https://t.co/R8tnL9MoCe
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I read somewhere that we received 2 million tourists but only earned $1.5 billion compared to TZ who receive about 1.4 million but earned $2.4 billion? Something doesn’t add up, do these private conservancies give out their data and pay taxes?
Tz charge $100 visa per tourist at the airport. We dropped that visa charge after westgate when a blanket travel warning was put on Kenya. It was to draw back the tourists. The only problem I have with CS Balala ana Magical Kenya campaign still centres on the same traditional tourist market of europe and usa. Look at Egypt and Mauritius which brings Russians and Chinese tourists. They are not many but are huge spenders tourist. 1 of them equal 10 tourist. So the marketing should shift from quantity to quality. Get big spenders.
No, I don’t think that’s enough, the numbers don’t add up, South Africa charges less than we do and see how much they earn. It receives an average of 10 million international tourists and earns $27 billion annually. I think our numbers are deliberately underwritten. Or the numerous private Conservancies do not pay taxes.
I don’t know about conservancies income so I can’t say authoritatively say much about them. I doubt they don’t pay since that’s the easiest way to lose their lease or property. Maybe understating income tax. That’s very common. Even the whole of coast their are villas and homes which are tourist attractions but not listed as such. We still have a lot to do locally and in marketing. Reclassification of hotel rating keeps on being pushed and resisted by stakeholders. Magical Kenya needs someone outside Kenya or a Kenyan exposed to the industry abroad to come back and inject new ideas to it. You pointed rightfully to South Africa, SAA fly’s in tourist from the 5 continents at a loss to them but greatly supports the Tourism industry there. 10 million tourist a year. They keep coming because the quality of hotels there are great. The new hotels coming up here are great and will match most globally. However the former big hotel chains here need complete modernization to meet that standards. They are dated.
There was some report like 3 years ago that the overall toursim eco-system in Kenya contributes about sh600 billion to the GDP annually.
As opposed to 400 billion for Tanzania.
We’re talking hotel beds, transport, souvenirs etc.
That means that even if the Kenyan government does not earn alot, Kenyans in that sector do.