Kenya will host two major tourism expos in November 2023, showcasing the region’s attractions and boosting its visibility, officials said Wednesday.
The third edition of the East Africa Tourism Expo (EARTE) and the annual Magical Kenya Travel Expo will run concurrently from Nov. 20-22, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza said.
She said the events will help forge partnerships in the travel and tourism sectors and demonstrate Kenya’s commitment to unity and a shared vision within the East African Community (EAC) states.
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“During this period, Kenya will host regional tourism stakeholders and players in the sector. The events provide a platform for the travel trade in the region to showcase and network with the world,” Malonza said.
She said expos are an integral part of the tourism industry and that member states must work with their regional partners to boost tourism. She added that the sector works toward inclusive growth and creating employment opportunities for member state citizens.
Abdi Dubat, principal secretary of the EAC, said the expos are significant in promoting the region’s unique and shared heritage with the world.
“Tourism sector contributes an average of 9.5% of the East Africa region’s GDP and an average of 7.1% of employment opportunities in the region, translating to over four million jobs,” he said.
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Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said the events are a manifestation of Kenya’s commitment to promote intra-regional tourism flow across its borders.
“We are confident that this platform will provide opportunities for consolidation of relations among our partners across Africa, Europe and beyond. These relations will go a long way toward increasing tourism receipts from key emerging source markets,” he said.
EARTE is an annual regional travel fair hosted in EAC states on a rotational basis, where the diverse tourism offerings are showcased. The Magical Kenya Travel Expo is Kenya’s annual flagship travel trade fair that brings together tourism stakeholders, partners and media from some of Kenya’s key source markets.
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