Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda, that are part of the East African Community and whose three members constitute the Northern Corridor Integration Projects initiative are reviewing their joint tourism marketing programs.
The focus will be on attracting more international leisure and business visitors; continuing to position the East African region as a single tourism destination, drawing on the depth and diversity of the attractions within the region and offering an estimated 141 million people as an attractive market for investment.
Joint tourism marketing brings together the government and private sector agencies in charge of tourism marketing including Rwanda Development Board’s Department of Tourism and Conservation, Kenya Tourism Board and Uganda Tourism Board under the Northern Corridor Integration Projects Initiative.
Speaking during a press briefing in Kigali after a joint consultative meeting, Ambassador Yamina Karitanyi, the Chief Tourism Officer at the Rwanda Development Boards said that the partner states collectively considered issues like security, infrastructure and ease of access as central to ensuring domestic, regional and international visitors’ confidence in their personal safety and comfort when touring East Africa.
“We have pledged to continuously and actively promote the Northern Corridor states as a joint destination. Security and ease of access and tourist confidence remain a top priority for this destination.
As you know, we introduced the East Africa Tourism Visa last year and this already has had an impact. In addition to organizing joint events at fairs, we have organized travel trade and travel media trips for the groups to familiarize them with the offering.” she said.
Fiona Ngesa, Assistant Regional Marketing Manager at the Kenya Tourism Board indicated that the region remains a very safe destination for every tourist and that Kenya was addressing the security situation.
“We want to reassure our domestic, regional and international visitors that they will be safe and secure. We are open for business & we therefore encourage all to come & sample the diversity of our tourism products.”
Edwin Muzahura, the Marketing and PR Manager at the Uganda Tourism Board said “We are in a unique region that has a lot to offer and at least regionally, we are taking advantage of it.
There has been an increase in inter regional trade and tourism as a result of use of the interstate passes, the East Africa Tourism Visa and the IDs. Northern Corridor Initiative