NAIROBI, Oct 24 (NNN-KBC) — The announcement of the upcoming visit by British King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Kenya has been described as a major boost to the tourism sector.
In a statement, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) said the visit by the royal visitors will put Kenya firmly on the map for potential tourists and investors in the UK and beyond.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla are set to embark on an official state visit to Kenya from Oct 31 to Nov 3.
The visit marks Charles’s first visit to a commonwealth nation as King and coincides with Kenya’s 60th anniversary of independence.
The UK is among the top three tourist source markets to Kenya after the US and Uganda with steady and promising growth in recent years.
In the period between January and August this year, Kenya received 101,167 visitors from the UK up from 83,126 arrivals in the same period last year, an increase of 21.7%.
“This visit will undoubtedly increase the number of UK tourists coming to Kenya and will allow us to show the best of Kenya to people in the Commonwealth and around the world,” said KTB acting CEO John Chirchir.
The Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) chairperson Victor Shitakha said the Royal Visit, which will include events in Mombasa County, was a major endorsement of the coastal region as a tourism hub.
“At the coast we are delighted to be hosting Their Majesties, it is a fantastic opportunity to show what the Coast has to offer, from marine conservations to luxury hotels, the region’s largest port to unparalleled sandy beaches and demonstrates the importance of coastal tourism to the broader sector,” said Shitakha.
Kenya, the largest economy in the East Africa Community, is the first country on the continent to enter into a trade agreement with the UK worth Ksh 167B annually, with a capacity for growth.
During the visit,the King is expected to see the full breadth of the modern UK-Kenya partnership on display, including trade, tech and innovation, the arts, culture, investment, efforts to tackle climate change, and vital conservation work.
The visit will also focus on young people with the King meeting Kenyan creatives, tech innovators, future leaders and the next generation of climate activists. People are at the heart of the relationship, and it is young people who will create a brighter future for us all.
“This visit will celebrate the strong bonds between The UK and Kenya and highlight the potential to further strengthen our relationship across tourism, technology, culture and heritage and the conservation of our environment- critical for tourism to thrive,” said KTB Chairman Francis Gichaba.
The Royal Visit will be an historic moment in the UK-Kenya story, celebrating our already strong partnership and showing that we go far, together.
President William Ruto has also welcomed the planned visit saying, the upcoming State Visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla will offer an opportunity to boost collaboration between Kenya and the United Kingdom.
The President said that Kenya is honoured that King and Queen Camilla plan to visit the country, their first to Commonwealth nation.
The Head of State spoke Monday after meeting the British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan ahead of the State Visit.
“This choice is testament to the depth of our relations and the mutual beneficial nature of our partnership. The visit is a significant opportunity to enhance our collaboration in various areas of shared interest,” Ruto said.
Last week, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi met the British High Commissioner and assured him of the country’s preparedness to host the British Royal couple.
The King and Queen will visit Nairobi City County, Mombasa County and surrounding areas.
Their Majesties’ programme will reflect the ways in which Kenya and the United Kingdom are working together, notably to boost mutual prosperity, tackle climate change, promote youth opportunity and employment, advance sustainable development and create a more stable and secure region. — NNN-KBC
