Kenya targets Chinese tourists to save industry

China has promised to bring more tourists to Kenya even as the West maintained travel warnings that the country is not a safe destination.

Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Phyllis Kandie will next week visit China as part of the deal to woo Chinese tourists to Kenya.

Ms Kandie met the Vice Chairman of the China National Tourism Administration Zhifa Wang, the Chinese ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa and other officials Monday.

The CS described the meeting as a “follow-up” to the matters Kenya agreed to with the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, who was in the country about a week ago.

In 2004, the China National Tourism Administration and the Kenya Tourist Board signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation plan for organised group travel by Chinese citizens to Kenya.

Ms Kandie said the MOU was signed by the previous government and she plans to see follow up the agreement.

“The Chinese government is very interested to see Kenya tourism sector and its promotion and development,” she said adding that during the meeting Monday, they agreed to boost tourism numbers by linking the players in the both markets with each other to exchange ideas.

The MOU gave Kenya “Approved Destination Status” from the Chinese government.

The Chinese officials said China has about 10 million tourists visiting other countries every year.

The tourism sector received a major beating last week when the US, UK, Australia and France asked its citizens to avoid visiting Kenya.

On Sunday while speaking to a crowd in Kikuyu, Kiambu County after attending a thanksgiving service at Alliance High School, President Kenyatta told off Western countries that have warned their nationals against visiting Kenya for fear of terrorist attacks.

He said Kenya will remain an attraction to other tourists who will visit the country.

Last week, The Kenya Tourism Board launched an aggressive marketing and awareness campaign to woo tourists from China following enhanced bilateral relations between the two countries.

KTB Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa said they are expecting more tourists from China.

He said tour operators selling Kenya in the Chinese market have reported positive forward bookings for this year.

However, KTB figures showed a decrease in the number of tourists from China as well as other source markets last year. China declined by 10.3 per cent to 37,062 visitors from 41,303 in 2012.