Geza Ulole
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 31, 2009
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By Tom Mosoba
Kenya's tourism minister Najib Balala has called for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tanzania on tourism development and promotion.
Mr Balala said such an agreement would help remove "serious" bureaucratic barriers and other existing impediments that were hindering cross-border cooperation in the sector that was vital to local economic growth and regional integration.
Tourism is a leading foreign exchange earner for both Kenya and Tanzania, whose economies are the biggest in East Africa.
Tanzania raked in $1.3 billion (Sh1.6 trillion) in 2008 from 642,000 visitors to account for 17.2 per cent of the GDP, while, according to the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), Kenya's earnings were around $811 million (Sh1.05 trillion) from fewer than 200,000 arrivals despite the disruptive effects of the post-election violence that year.
Buoyed by signs of recovery, including from the global economic crisis that saw the number of foreign tourists fall in 2009, respective authorities have mounted aggressive marketing campaigns to attract an estimated 3 million visitors yearly between them by 2012.
The incentives include visa and national park entry fees reduction and discounts in safari and accommodation packages.
Mr Balala told The Citizen in an exclusive interview in Zanzibar last weekend that Kenya had targeted to attract 2 million tourists after revising the ambitious figure of 3 million spelt out in the country�s Vision 2030 development blueprint.
Meanwhile, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) director of marketing Amant Macha said Tanzania expected to draw in 1 million tourists mark and raise revenue to a record $1.5 billion (about Sh2 billion).
The EAC secretariat in Arusha is also planning to roll out this year a strategy to sell the region as a single tourism destination to consolidate earnings and deepen economic cooperation.
The move is seen as vital following the signing last November of the EAC Common Market Protocol that comes into effect in July.
But while Mr Balala sees the single market destination as "noble and timely," he accused Tanzania of alleged "bullishness"in its marketing approach.
He also questioned the country's commitment to the single destination strategy, saying his Tanzanian counterpart, Ms Shamsa Mwangunga, had skipped several important meetings while restrictions had been imposed on Kenyan operators.
The Kenyan minister also addressed the Press at the Blue Bay Beach Resort during which he highlighted several marketing opportunities and challenges facing tourism in the region.
He was on a weeklong vacation in Zanzibar, and was accompanied during the press briefing by the chairman of Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (Zati), Mohammed Simai.
Mr Balala cited the closure of Sand River/Bologonja border crossing that links Maasai Mara and Serengeti as an example.
"The route was ordered closed after only one day following an agreement," he said adding that Kenyan tour operators were still being charged $200 (Sh260,000) per driver to enter Tanzania while his government only charged Ksh200 (Sh3,400).
However, Natural Resources and Tourism permanent secretary Dr Ladislaus Komba told The Citizen on Monday that Mr Balala�s claims were largely unsubstantiated.
"Tanzania is committed to marketing the region as a single tourism destination. We will take part in a technical officers meeting next week while Ms Mwangunga will attend a scheduled council of ministers' meeting scheduled for January 18," said Dr Komba.
He said he could not comment on the proposed MoU because the ministry had yet to discuss its merits with Kenya. Ms Mwangunga could not be reached because she was away in China where she was leading a delegation on promotional tours of Asia.
There is, however, the Tourism Co-operation Agreement of 1983 that spells out border crossings between the countries and, according to the TTB, this agreement does not cover the Sand River/Bologonja crossing point to access Serengeti by Kenyan tour operators.
The controversy over this border point erupted after KTB chief executive Fred Kaigua issued a statement announcing that Tanzania had agreed to open it, but TTB later maintained that the crossing would remain closed for environmental reasons.
Mr Balala said the proposed MoU would aid authorities to make predictable policy decisions and plan for mutual programmes that will not suffer unnecessary stand offs that paint partner states "as if they were at war."
"Kenya has signed MoUs with countries such Rwanda, South Africa, Mauritius and Morocco and I believe one would be important to enhance our economic ties with Tanzania as well," said the Minister.
He said Kenya was ready to help Tanzania train personnel in the hospitality industry to alleviate a crippling shortage and also share other incentives to boost the low rate of domestic tourism.
He said the high cost of air travel in the region was too expensive for a majority.
"All of our governments should adopt the open sky policy to enable smaller but cheaper charter companies to establish services and compete with the established airlines that have clung on government protection yet they were raking profits for private shareholders," said Mr Balala.
He said EAC countries should not only depend on foreign visitors but also market their destinations locally to tap into a growing base of loyal domestic holidaymakers. "Zanzibar is the diamond of East Africa but how many Kenyans or Ugandans know the beauty of this place?"
Mr Simai said Tanzanian investors in the sector were ready to cooperate with the government to prepare local investors to compete when the common market takes effect.
He said poor infrastructure should be addressed because examples like the current power shortage in Zanzibar had seen some tourism hotels close business over the last few days while some were posting huge loses.
Additional reporting by Mking Mkinga
Source: The Citizen
Kenya's tourism minister Najib Balala has called for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Tanzania on tourism development and promotion.
Mr Balala said such an agreement would help remove "serious" bureaucratic barriers and other existing impediments that were hindering cross-border cooperation in the sector that was vital to local economic growth and regional integration.
Tourism is a leading foreign exchange earner for both Kenya and Tanzania, whose economies are the biggest in East Africa.
Tanzania raked in $1.3 billion (Sh1.6 trillion) in 2008 from 642,000 visitors to account for 17.2 per cent of the GDP, while, according to the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), Kenya's earnings were around $811 million (Sh1.05 trillion) from fewer than 200,000 arrivals despite the disruptive effects of the post-election violence that year.
Buoyed by signs of recovery, including from the global economic crisis that saw the number of foreign tourists fall in 2009, respective authorities have mounted aggressive marketing campaigns to attract an estimated 3 million visitors yearly between them by 2012.
The incentives include visa and national park entry fees reduction and discounts in safari and accommodation packages.
Mr Balala told The Citizen in an exclusive interview in Zanzibar last weekend that Kenya had targeted to attract 2 million tourists after revising the ambitious figure of 3 million spelt out in the country�s Vision 2030 development blueprint.
Meanwhile, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB) director of marketing Amant Macha said Tanzania expected to draw in 1 million tourists mark and raise revenue to a record $1.5 billion (about Sh2 billion).
The EAC secretariat in Arusha is also planning to roll out this year a strategy to sell the region as a single tourism destination to consolidate earnings and deepen economic cooperation.
The move is seen as vital following the signing last November of the EAC Common Market Protocol that comes into effect in July.
But while Mr Balala sees the single market destination as "noble and timely," he accused Tanzania of alleged "bullishness"in its marketing approach.
He also questioned the country's commitment to the single destination strategy, saying his Tanzanian counterpart, Ms Shamsa Mwangunga, had skipped several important meetings while restrictions had been imposed on Kenyan operators.
The Kenyan minister also addressed the Press at the Blue Bay Beach Resort during which he highlighted several marketing opportunities and challenges facing tourism in the region.
He was on a weeklong vacation in Zanzibar, and was accompanied during the press briefing by the chairman of Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (Zati), Mohammed Simai.
Mr Balala cited the closure of Sand River/Bologonja border crossing that links Maasai Mara and Serengeti as an example.
"The route was ordered closed after only one day following an agreement," he said adding that Kenyan tour operators were still being charged $200 (Sh260,000) per driver to enter Tanzania while his government only charged Ksh200 (Sh3,400).
However, Natural Resources and Tourism permanent secretary Dr Ladislaus Komba told The Citizen on Monday that Mr Balala�s claims were largely unsubstantiated.
"Tanzania is committed to marketing the region as a single tourism destination. We will take part in a technical officers meeting next week while Ms Mwangunga will attend a scheduled council of ministers' meeting scheduled for January 18," said Dr Komba.
He said he could not comment on the proposed MoU because the ministry had yet to discuss its merits with Kenya. Ms Mwangunga could not be reached because she was away in China where she was leading a delegation on promotional tours of Asia.
There is, however, the Tourism Co-operation Agreement of 1983 that spells out border crossings between the countries and, according to the TTB, this agreement does not cover the Sand River/Bologonja crossing point to access Serengeti by Kenyan tour operators.
The controversy over this border point erupted after KTB chief executive Fred Kaigua issued a statement announcing that Tanzania had agreed to open it, but TTB later maintained that the crossing would remain closed for environmental reasons.
Mr Balala said the proposed MoU would aid authorities to make predictable policy decisions and plan for mutual programmes that will not suffer unnecessary stand offs that paint partner states "as if they were at war."
"Kenya has signed MoUs with countries such Rwanda, South Africa, Mauritius and Morocco and I believe one would be important to enhance our economic ties with Tanzania as well," said the Minister.
He said Kenya was ready to help Tanzania train personnel in the hospitality industry to alleviate a crippling shortage and also share other incentives to boost the low rate of domestic tourism.
He said the high cost of air travel in the region was too expensive for a majority.
"All of our governments should adopt the open sky policy to enable smaller but cheaper charter companies to establish services and compete with the established airlines that have clung on government protection yet they were raking profits for private shareholders," said Mr Balala.
He said EAC countries should not only depend on foreign visitors but also market their destinations locally to tap into a growing base of loyal domestic holidaymakers. "Zanzibar is the diamond of East Africa but how many Kenyans or Ugandans know the beauty of this place?"
Mr Simai said Tanzanian investors in the sector were ready to cooperate with the government to prepare local investors to compete when the common market takes effect.
He said poor infrastructure should be addressed because examples like the current power shortage in Zanzibar had seen some tourism hotels close business over the last few days while some were posting huge loses.
Additional reporting by Mking Mkinga
Source: The Citizen
