FIRST EVER SKAL CONGRESS IN KENYA TO START TOMORROW AT THE PRIDE INN PARADISE IN SHANZU / MOMBASA
(Posted 16th October 2018)
This is the first time that Skal International – which is headquartered in Spain – is holding the global tourism event in Kenya since its establishment in 1934.
The 4-day conference themed “Congress on the Beach” has attracted over 500 tourism and hospitality agents across the world.
Speaking ahead of the start of the conference, Kenya Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Betty Radier said, “The 79th Skal International World Congress has provided the City of Mombasa with an exceptional opportunity to showcase itself as the preferred Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination. We anticipate that the convening of the Congress in Mombasa will boost efforts to position the City of Mombasa and Kenya’s coast both as a conference tourism destination and a leisure destination.”
The conference provides a major visibility boost to the tourism sector along Kenya’s coast, besides being an endorsement of the destination as safe for tourism business added Dr. Radier.
Tourist arrivals into Kenya’s Coastal region between 01st of July 2017 to 30th of June 2018 rose by double digit levels over the previous financial year to boost total tourist arrivals into Kenya by 6.8% to 1,488,370 up from 1,393,568 in 2016/17.
During the period under review, arrivals at Mombasa’s Moi International Airport grew by 29.6% to 119,910 up from 92,526 in 2016/17, however still way below arrivals during the peak years of arrivals to Kenya.
Cruise ship arrivals recorded during the period grew by 59% to 2,778 by the close of June 2018 compared to 1,743 in 2016/17.
Commenting on the improved numbers at the coast, Dr. Radier noted, “Improved security, continued confidence in the destination, establishment of modern transport infrastructure such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway have greatly contributed to the continued improvement in the performance of Kenya’s tourism sector, particularly at the Coast.”
