Kenya eyes 1 lakh visitors from India in 2018

Kenya is looking at around 1 lakh visitors from India in 2018, as it undertakes a slew of initiatives to hardsell itself as a preferred destination in its third largest source market.
The country is expecting around 70,000 visitors from India in the current year, after the African nation witnessed a decline in Indian visitors to 49,700 last year.
"We are expecting one lakh visitors from India by 2018-end. With historical ties between the two countries, the numbers of visitors from India should be much larger," Kenyan High Commissioner, Florence Imisa Weche told PTI.
Kenya has the second largest Indian diaspora in Africa after South Africa, and Indians feel much at home there, she added.

India is the third-largest source market for Kenya after UK and US, Weche said.
"The initiatives that the government has undertaken are providing enhanced security across the country, development of infrastructure such as expanding airports, new air strips and introduction of new products," she added.

The new products that Kenya plans to offer tourists are MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions) travel and environmental tourism, apart from wildlife safaris and beaches, Weche said.
Highlighting that India has a great potential to grow further as a major source market, Kenya Tourism Board Assistant Regional Marketing Manager, Hilda Ogada said: "India has grown as a source market and has tremendous potential to grow further."

The Board, along with airline partner Kenya Airways, has launched an all-India advertising and travel trade incentive campaign, 'Kenya Kalling' that will run in print, radio and digital mediums, she added.
"We shall continue to invest more in future as we aim to make India our number one source market," Ogada said.
Tourism plays an important role in Kenyan economy with destinations like Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Tsavo, Samburu, Laikipia and Mount Kenya for safaris and Lamu Island, Diani and Malindi for the coasts. It has 60 National Parks and Reserves.