The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife has been nominated to compete for the African tourism ministry of the year award that will take place in Johannesburg, next week.The ministry's selection is based on its contribution towards the impressive performance of the tourism sector in Kenya in the year 2007 where tourism arrivals attained the two million mark and earning rising from kshs. 56.2 billion to Kshs 65 billion.It will compete for the top prize in the category of the ‘African Tourism Minister of the Year Award' with South Africa Mauritius, Botswana, Namibia, Morocco, Ghana, and Tanzania.The event organized by the Africa Investor has short-listed two other Kenyan firms, Kenya Airways under business airline of the year, and Eagle Africa insurance brokers under the best business travel insurer categories.
Chairman of the Africa Investor Advisory Board Dr. Bamanga Tukur in a letter to the permanent secretary Rebecca Nabutola said the country has been selected specifically by the Africa Investor Tourism Awards secretariat as a highly regarded international leader in the global Tourism industry.Nabutola who will represent the ministry in the event said the recognition is coming at an opportune time when the resilience of the tourism industry is undergoing serious political challenge and there was urgent need to restore confidence with Kenya as a preferred destination." I will use this forum to tell the global tourism players that the storm is over, we are back in business and Kenya is still a safe tourist destination," says the PS
The Africa Tourism Investor Awards is designed to showcase the continent's opportunities and achievements to the rest of the world.It will collectively raise awareness about Africa as a tourist destination and reward those groups developing the African tourism industry as a vehicle to drive sustainable economic growth.The awards are the first of their kind and are pioneering Tourism investment recognition.