This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
On a tour of China's major cities, Kenya is seeking to tap into the country's $270 billion outbound tourism market, with a focus on attracting high-value tourists throughout the year.
According to the Kenya Tourism Board, the country has been growing steadily in terms of tourist arrivals from China, with 81,709 arrivals last year, representing a 4.03% growth from the previous year.
January this year saw a growth of 4.5% with 3,520 arrivals, up from 2,354 in the same period last year.
The Kenya Tourism Board is working to differentiate Kenya from other sub-Saharan African countries, which often offer similar wildlife and beach experiences.
As part of its efforts, the board is providing intensive product training sessions to Chinese travel agencies in each of the three provinces, positioning Kenya as an 'All Year Magic' destination.
Chinese tourists spent an average of $3,064 per person on location destinations on their most recent overseas travels, excluding tour group costs and major transportation costs.
CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board, Dr. Betty Radier, said, 'Using findings from an in-depth engagement with Chinese travel agencies, media as well as local travel partners, we have uncovered new insights on China tourism trends that inform how we package our Destination products and experiences to offer travellers more specialized and personalized experiences.'
She added, 'We are also working collaboratively with our local tour operators and traders on training their tour guides and their staff on the Chinese language and culture as well as implementing seamless customer experience for Chinese travelers from flight to departure within the destination.'
