MKTE2015 KICKS OFF WITH SYMPOSIUM DAY
(Posted 14th October 2015)
This year’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo, taking place at the Diani based Leisure Lodge Resort, is kicking off this morning with the now traditional tourism symposium day, a half day event of having relevant challenges and opportunities presented and discussed by participants from both Kenya and abroad. Flights from Nairobi JKIA to Mombasa on Kenya Airways were reportedly packed as were the flights from Nairobi Wilson to the nearby Ukunda airfield as the delegates and participants made their way to Diani.
Topics on the agenda this year will be birding, a highly lucrative niche market for Kenya and the wider region before moving on to adventure tourism and how to repackage the Kenyan safari experience to make it more user friendly and attractive for the global markets.
After the mid morning break will Watamu based Ben Kelliher then look at the ‘Beyond the Sands’ in a presentation aimed at diving while others discuss home stay programmes, the Kenyan cultural experience and the link of conservation with the local communities. Judy Kepher Gona, who heads the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda, in short STTA, will then chair the roundup panel discussion and the feedback from the floor as Kenya’s success in moving towards sustainable tourism comes under the spotlight.
The afternoon will allow all delegates to either play a round of golf at the championship 18 hole course of the Leisure Lodge Resort or alternatively take a guided bike tour across Diani. Kayaking and other beachside activities too are available for participants as is a visit to the Colobus Conservation project.
The day will then conclude with a cocktail in the extensive beachside gardens of the resort and a subsequent dinner before tomorrow the official opening will take place before business begins in earnest over two days of B2B contacts.
Kenya’s tourism who is who is assembled in Diani to showcase their offerings as are delegations from Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania while tourism boards from other African countries like Zimbabwe are also expected to show flag.
Also part of the programme towards the end of the week will be the annual ‘Eco Warrior Award Night’ during which EcoTourism Kenya will honour those companies and individuals who during the year have shown their pedigree of not just going green but staying green.
For more information about this regionally most important tourism showcase click on www.mkte.co.ke and for destination information visit either www.magicalkenya.com or www.kws.go.ke
