Magical Kenya sets the tune for tourists’ boom 

Unarguably, the choice of venue for the just concluded edition of the Magical Kenya Expo in Diani, Kwale County is not only perfect for its nature endowed ambiance, but also timely as a big sell for the limitless splendour Kenya offers to destination enthusiasts, buyers and trade marketers and most importantly MICE audiences.

The fifth edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo, which played host to trade buyers, visitors and over 150 exhibitors, 176 hosted buyers and media from over 35 countries at Diani, Kenya from October 15 to 17 made a big statement for the countries numerous tourism offers and its new brand campaign.

The Diani venue was renowned for its truly idyllic-10 kilometre of palm-fringed coastline that meets the calm and warm waters of the Indian Ocean with plethora of ideal activities for leisure and holiday seekers to explore.

Diani has for the second consecutive year voted Africa’s leading beach destination at the World Travel Award, an outstanding accolades the fifth edition of the travel expo leveraged on to boost traffic to the destination.

Key in positioning and showcasing the tourism prides of Kenya, the expo displayed an unparallel diversity of travel experiences embedded in exhibitors’ products and services at each stand.

The outing was another milestone by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) to reawaken its drive to showcase and promote Kenya as an up-market, high-value destination to top notch international trade with the aim to increase tourist arrivals and revenue.

The three days marketing and interacting platform with theme Sustainable Tourism: Keeping the Magic Alive, rallied three global tourism experts who did justice to the seminar session.

The speakers, Tracy Winde, Jeff Jarvis and Nick Hall, all spoke extensively on sensitive topics ranging from transforming the tourism business, Unlocking the billion Dollar youth travel market, social media marketing and the Generation ‘Y’; the next travel frontier.

Speaking with journalists at the MKTE the Kenya Tourism Minister, Mrs Phyllis Kandie, who walk the talk with Kwale County Governor, Mr Salim Mvuya and the Managing Director of Kenya Tourism Board, Mr Muriithi Ndegwa assured all and sundry of the country’s commitment to not only re-invent newer ways to up the marketing trend with its tourism offers, but also increase international patronage to Kenya.

On the preparations Kenya has put in place to welcome an expected boom after the MKTE, Kandie who spoke with high hope said all logistics are on ground to meet visitors demand.

According to the tourism minister, “I am proud to say that we are ready for the boom, because we have renewed strength in our infrastructures and human capacity to meet the needs of visitors.

The Governor of Kwale County and the host of the MKTE 2015, Mr Mvuya, spoke with great enthusiasm about Daini as a tourist haven and its preparedness as the next preferred tourism destination to look out for.

Mvuya said his county is committed to renew effort to sell the rich natural splendour of Diani and other tourism offers to the world through the MKTE.  

For the Managing Director of Kenya Tourism Board, Mr Ndegwa, “We will turn the travel expo to a must attend platform for stakeholders not only within the region but also globally.

“With the increasing interest and commitment and popularity of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo, we have the impetus to take it to more enviable level.”

Top list of winners at Magical Kenya

For the best exhibition stands, Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort top the list with Funzi Keys Resort and Leopard Beach Resort coming first and second runner up respectively.

Lamu County emerges the best stand in the county stand categories while Kajiado and Kwale took second and third

In the participating countries Tourism Board categories, Uganda was true to its appellation as the pearl of Africa topped the list of the best tourism board at the exhibition with South Africa and India queued behind as second and third position.

The last categories, which feature the best airline stand, have Kenya Airways as the overall winner while Turkish Airlines and China Southern Airlines followed in that order.