Kenya’s tourism sector now game for bigger local market

  • 📰 BDliveSA
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 46 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 22%
  • Publisher: 63%

South Africa Headlines News

Reinvention is key as Covid-19 puts the brakes on international arrivals

Wildebeests in the Maasai Mara game reserve en route to the open plains of the Serengeti, southwest of Nairobi, Kenya, August 9 2020. Picture: REUTERS/THOMAS MUKOYA

For a sector that makes up about 10% of GDP, the loss of virtually all tourist arrivals since March has spelt disaster for hotels and tour operators that once relied on a steady stream of long-haul visitors. “It’s a strategic repositioning,” says Muthuri Kinyamu, cofounder of Turnup. Travel, a tour operator that provides services for Kenyan tourists. “If all your relationships have been with Australia and the UK, and you have done that for about a decade, then of course there will be some challenges when you come to focus on the domestic and local tourism angle.

“I feel proximity has become a lot more important,” he says. “People are not necessarily looking at driving for longer periods of time or going on long breaks. They want to explore around themselves first. People from Nairobi will start by exploring the local area, then to Maasai Mara, and perhaps onwards to Zanzibar by Christmas.”

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 12. in ZA

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

DA to petition govt to reopen country’s tourism sector
Source: ewnupdates - 🏆 30. / 53 Read more »

New safety app launched to protect visitors to the CapeA new safety app has been launched which will allow local and international visitors to feel more at ease, particularly as the tourism sector slowly reopens in Cape Town.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

Tourism department already working on plan to stimulate and strengthen decimated sector | CitypressTourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane says her department decided to release a draft recovery plan for the sector for further consultation with stakeholders and the general public before finalisation for submission to Cabinet
Source: City_Press - 🏆 7. / 72 Read more »

Long road ahead for tourism-sector recoveryThe pandemic has caused 50 000 businesses in the sector to temporarily close, putting 600 000 jobs at risk
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

Why two high-powered African women want the US to love themThe leading candidates to replace the head of the WTO later this year - from Kenya and Nigeria - both know they'll get nowhere without US backing
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »

President Kenyatta says Kenya ready again for visitorsPresident Uhuru Kenyatta said visitors should follow precautions around coronavirus, saying everyone needed to play their part in containing the spread of the disease.
Source: ewnupdates - 🏆 30. / 53 Read more »