Red tape in Kenya scares South African tourism agency

A South African Government agency charged with promoting tourism is frustrated over bureaucracy in Nairobi that has hindered it from opening a promotion outpost in Kenya.

South Africa Tourism Chief Executive Thulani Nzima told the Nation on Tuesday that his organisation has unsuccessfully tried to establish an office in Nairobi for the past two years.

“I have been told that there is a backlog in the registration of non-profits because of security concerns but the sad part is that I have never received an official response to our request despite my repeated attempts,” said Mr Nzima.

He said a plan to open shop in Nairobi was part of its strategy to set up satellite offices in five countries in Africa.

“I’m about to bypass Kenya and maybe go to Tanzania because I have the budget for this and my principals are asking questions. Kenya is very strategically located, along with Nigeria, where we have also opened an office with the active support of the tourism minister there. We have also opened one in Angola, even with all the difficulties of translating documents back and forth from Portuguese. I still get puzzled about why there has never been any official communication,” Mr Nzima said of his frustrations. He said it was high time African nations began promoting continental tourism because the approach would have a larger net benefit for individual countries.

“My job is to market South Africa, but Kenyans are also welcome to come to South Africa and open an office,” he said. Mr Nzima said South Africa participated in the Magical Kenya tourism exhibition in the aftermath of the Westgate Mall attack despite security concerns from his staff.