Global tourism fairs giving us raw deal, says Kenya

Global tourism fairs giving us raw deal, says Kenya

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bagamoyo

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May 9, 2018
Nairobi, Kenya

Kenya has scaled down participation in tourism fairs across the world, saying the shows were not adding value to its growth strategy.

Scrutiny of past appearances shows that Kenya was not getting value for money and would only participate in ITB Berlin, the largest tourism show which happens in March, said Tourism ministry spokesman Mulei Muia.

Kenya will be a no-show at the World Tourism Market of London, which takes place in November, a considerably big event that is estimated to attract up to 50,000 participants.

Indeed, Kenya does not have a stand at the ongoing Travel Indaba in Durban, an event that has attracted 1,747 buyers and 1,120 exhibitors from cross the world. The show, attended by nine tourism ministers from Africa, ends today. “It was a policy and strategic decision not to participate as the return on investment wasn’t worth it.

“This was informed by research and analysis undertaken on many tourism trade fairs, Indaba included,” said Mr Mulei on the non-appearance at the event attended by East African Community neighbours Rwanda, Tanzania and Rwanda and companies from the countries.
Source: : https://www.nation.co.ke/business/Kenya-cuts-global-participation-in-tourism-fairs/
 
Hawa si walikuwa wanashinda kila siku sijui the best African stand, sijui what? The fact is Kenya is broke! It has to do with this..


SGR loan payments to triple to Sh83bn next year
SUNDAY, MAY 6, 2018 22:00
BY CONSTANT MUNDA
sgr.jpg






Loan repayments to China will more than triple from July next year as the five-year grace period that Beijing extended to Kenya in May 2014 for the standard gauge railway (SGR) funds comes to an end, Treasury data shows.

Nairobi will pay Chinese State-owned lenders nearly Sh82.85 billion in the year starting July next year from Sh26.61 billion in the current year ending June, and Sh36.24 billion the following year from July.

Kenya in May 2014 entered into a deal to borrow $3.233 billion loan (Sh324.01 billion) from China’s Exim Bank, comprised of $1.633 billion commercial loan and $1.6 billion concessional to build a 385km modern railway between Mombasa and Nairobi.

The loan, whose interest is 3.6 percentage points above the six months average of London Inter Bank Offered Rate (Libor) which serves as an international benchmark, is to be repaid in 15 years with a grace period of five years.

Treasury data tabled in the National Assembly last Wednesday shows principal payments to Exim Bank of China — the main SGR financier — will shoot to nearly Sh34.8 billion in the financial year 2019/20 from Sh6.07 billion this fiscal year, and Sh8.39 billion in 2018-19.

READ: China takes up lion’s share of debt spend

Debt redemption to China Development Bank, another key financier of Kenya’s infrastructure projects, will surge to Sh18.27 billion in 2019/20 from Sh757.76 million this year and Sh1.68 billion in the year which starts in July.

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration has largely contracted debt from China since 2014 to build much-needed roads, bridges, power plants and the SGR.

This started after Kenya became a lower middle income economy, locking her out of highly concessional loans from development lenders such the World Bank Group.

China’s influence on the country’s infrastructure development, however, started in earnest with construction of the Thika Superhighway between January 2009 and November 2012 at a cost of nearly Sh32 billion during the last term of President Mwai Kibaki.

The deal to fund the first phase of the SGR, Kenya’s single largest infrastructure project by cost since independence, saw Beijing overtake Tokyo as Kenya’s largest bilateral lender.

Construction of the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR cost about Sh692 million per kilometre (km), while the $1.5 billion for the extension to Naivasha is estimated at about Sh1.28 billion per km.

READ: China remains Kenya’s top lender at Sh520bn

Passenger fares on the SGR are set to rise to Sh1,000 a seat, from the promotional Sh700 during the launch last June, to help cover the costs of the SGR line operated by China Communications Construction Company.

Debt repayments (Sh82.85 billion) to Beijing will account for a third of the Sh274.24 billion that Kenyan projects will be due to foreign lenders in 2019-20.

This will rise to nearly Sh95.2 billion in 2020-21 and Sh120.12 billion in 2021-22, assuming the debt obligations to Beijing will remain constant even with contraction of new loans from Beijing, the Treasury data shows.

READ: Kenya dismisses US concerns over mounting Chinese loans

China’s debt stock to Nairobi has since surged nearly two and a half times to $5.2 billion (Sh521.38 billion) by last December from $2.22 billion (Sh222.60 billion) in January, dethroning the World Bank Group as Kenya’s largest lender.

Consultancy Deloitte said in the Africa Construction Trends Report 2017, released in Nairobi last February , that China was the “most
prolific funder of large-scale” projects, building one in four projects in East Africa.

SGR loan payments to triple to Sh83bn next year
 
South Africa hits tourism milestone, announces new route to London
By Graham Kajilwa
Published: May 9th 2018 at 11:43, Updated: May 9th 2018 at 11:43
thumb_lqjsdej5x7hyju5af2b4ba2fddb.jpg

SA Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom(centre) with Swaziland representative (R) and a conference attendee taking a selfie after the opening of the Africa Travel Indaba Conference 2018 in ICC centre Durban,SA
South Africa has once again made a major milestone against her competitors in the tourism sector with a new route to London.

The news, confirmed by the South Africa administration, coincided with the Africa Travel Indaba Conference that kicked off on Tuesday in Durban, SA.

At least 22 countries with over 59 businesses have pitched camp in the city to sell their tourist attraction sites. However, despite Kenya being in the initial 21 country list of exhibitors, there was no stand but had a representative in the ministerial talk.

ALSO READ: Investors counting losses as weatherman sounds alarm in coastal strip

South Africa is one of Kenya’s leading competitors in matters tourism apart from Tanzania. The exhibited business range from accommodation, game reserves,

On Tuesday, just hours before the conference was officially opened by SA Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom, British Airways announced of the direct flights from Durban’s King Shaka Airport to Heathrow.

The news, was described by Kwa Zulu Natal province administration as a major milestone into positioning the beach city of Durban as a favourable tourist ground for United Kingdom nationals.

Hanekom, SA Tourism minister said though the conference in the beginning was to increase the number of local tourists visiting SA cities, the event has grown to a global scale and even other competitive African nations are welcome to take part.

"There is no continent with more potential to grow like Africa. This is the only place," said Hanekom.

According to figures by the United Nation World Travel Organisation (UNWTO), the number of international tourists who visited Africa went up by eight percent.

"We believe that the momentum is with us and that it can be sustained in an era when global travellers are looking for authentic immersive experiences that leave them inedible memories of extraordinary encounters," said SA Tourism Chief Executive Officer Sisa Ntshona.

The 2018 Economic Survey released this month noted that this surge also spread to Kenya.

A big chunk of the visitors (68 per cent) came in for holiday followed by business (13.7 per cent).

"This was attributed to the increase in the number of international visitor arrivals that rose by 8.1 per cent from 1,339.7 thousand in 2016 to 1,448.8 thousand in 2017," the report read it in part?.

ALSO READ: Top-flight player struck by lightning in South Africa dies

RELATED TOPICS:
South Africa
tourism
Africa Travel Indaba Conference

South Africa hits tourism milestone, announces new route to London

MY TAKE
At Indaba no exhibits stands from Kenya where there but a ministerial representative was there! How that sounds funny?
 
Mwanzi1 said:
I remember the whole funfair with Single Tourist Visa, how is it going? did it bear fruits?
Click to expand...
Hii walitaka kutuuzia mbuzi kwenye gunia, lengo lilikua wapate njia ya kushirikiana na Tanzania. Kilio chao kikibwa ni Borogoja border point iweze kufunguliwa, ili Masai mara ifaidie nyuma ya mgongo wa Serengeti, pia walitaka kuunganisha vivutio vya utalii Kenya na Tanzania wanapofanya advertisement ya utalii wa Kenya, walipoona Tanzania imeshitukia huo mtego, wakaona haina faida tena kuendelea na hiyo biashara ya single tourists visa.
 
joto la jiwe said:
Hii walitaka kutuuzia mbuzi kwenye gunia, lengo lilikua wapate njia ya kushirikiana na Tanzania. Kilio chao kikibwa ni Borogoja border point iweze kufunguliwa, ili Masai mara ifaidie nyuma ya mgongo wa Serengeti, pia walitaka kuunganisha vivutio vya utalii Kenya na Tanzania wanapofanya advertisement ya utalii wa Kenya, walipoona Tanzania imeshitukia huo mtego, wakaona haina faida tena kuendelea na hiyo biashara ya single tourists visa.
Click to expand...
Ilikuwa janja ya nyani, sera zetu kwenye utalii isingewezekana kutuzalishia matunda yoyote kupitia hiyo single visa. Mgawanyo wa mapato ya hiyo viza ulikuwa na utata maana nchi moja ingekomba hela nyingi huku zingine zikiambulia vijisenti. Kulikuwa hakuna mchoro wowote ambao unaonjesha tungeongeza uzalishaji, mtu aliyepanga kuja Tanzania na kutumia sio chini ya $2500, atashindwa vipi kutoa $50 kuingia nchi nyingine kama anataka.
 
Mwanzi1 said:
Ilikuwa janja ya nyani, sera zetu kwenye utalii isingewezekana kutuzalishia matunda yoyote kupitia hiyo single visa. Mgawanyo wa mapato ya hiyo viza ulikuwa na utata maana nchi moja ingekomba hela nyingi huku zingine zikiambulia vijisenti. Kulikuwa hakuna mchoro wowote ambao unaonjesha tungeongeza uzalishaji, mtu aliyepanga kuja Tanzania na kutumia sio chini ya $2500, atashindwa vipi kutoa $50 kuingia nchi nyingine kama anataka.
Click to expand...
BTW I see kilio kikija kwa Kenya sooner than I expected! Pata picha with their absence at major global tourism exhibitions means less visibility while Tanzania (a main rival) has upped her marketing strategy after Middle East, China, India now Eastern Europe, has upped her modernization of infrastructure (more than 13 airports primary n secondary aside new paved roads, strips in the southern n western circuits), n lastly, has acquired new fleet in attempts to establish direct flights from source markets.

Tanzania sets sights on Eastern Europe as potential tourism market - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Tanzania opens embassy... in Ramat Gan
 
Geza Ulole said:
BTW I see kilio kikija kwa Kenya sooner than I expected! Pata picha with their absence at major global tourism exhibitions means less visibility while Tanzania (a main rival) has upped her marketing strategy after Middle East, China, India now Eastern Europe, has upped her modernization of infrastructure (more than 13 airports primary n secondary aside new paved roads, strips in the southern n western circuits), n lastly, has acquired new fleet in attempts to establish direct flights from source markets.

Tanzania sets sights on Eastern Europe as potential tourism market - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Tanzania opens embassy... in Ramat Gan
Click to expand...
Wewe unashangilia Tanzania ikipaa ama Kenya ikiporomoka?
 
Geza Ulole said:
BTW I see kilio kikija kwa Kenya sooner than I expected! Pata picha with their absence at major global tourism exhibitions means less visibility while Tanzania (a main rival) has upped her marketing strategy after Middle East, China, India now Eastern Europe, has upped her modernization of infrastructure (more than 13 airports primary n secondary aside new paved roads, strips in the southern n western circuits), n lastly, has acquired new fleet in attempts to establish direct flights from source markets.

Tanzania sets sights on Eastern Europe as potential tourism market - Xinhua | English.news.cn

Tanzania opens embassy... in Ramat Gan
Click to expand...
Kwenye tourism tumeshabeba kikombe na huo mkopo wa WB unapelekwa kuanzisha Southern circuit ni nyundo nyingine kwa Kenya. Nakumbuka Kenyatta alikosa majibu ya kwanini Kenyans hotels ziko empty, akasema wafanyakazi wa serikali na Wakenya wajazane huko. That didn't work, mahoteli bado yanakosa watu na kufungwa.
 
Mwanzi1 said:
Kwenye tourism tumeshabeba kikombe na huo mkopo wa WB unapelekwa kuanzisha Southern circuit ni nyundo nyingine kwa Kenya. Nakumbuka Kenyatta alikosa majibu ya kwanini Kenyans hotels ziko empty, akasema wafanyakazi wa serikali na Wakenya wajazane huko. That didn't work, mahoteli bado yanakosa watu na kufungwa.
Click to expand...
Kenya ilitumia vivutio vya Tz na kujinufaisha sana ila sasa tz imeamka na kuliona hilo,pamoja na kenya kuja na mikakati ya single visa na mambo mengi ya kisingizio cha ushirikiano wa A.mashariki ili waendeleze janja yao.mimi naomba waendelee kuisoma namba😀😀😀😀😀😀mengine baadae
 
ndughuri msuya said:
Kenya ilitumia vivutio vya Tz na kujinufaisha sana ila sasa tz imeamka na kuliona hilo,pamoja na kenya kuja na mikakati ya single visa na mambo mengi ya kisingizio cha ushirikiano wa A.mashariki ili waendeleze janja yao.mimi naomba waendelee kuisoma namba😀😀😀😀😀😀mengine baadae
Click to expand...
Naunga mkono hoja. Wamenufaika vya kutosha acha na sisi tuchume matunda yetu tuliyojaliwa na Mungu.
 
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