ignore bad reports on East Africa, tourists told

By Zephania Ubwani ,The Citizen Reporter

Posted  Tuesday, March 11  2014 at  00:00

In Summary

Ms Eriyo told the large gathering at the event that efforts were underway to upgrade the water, rail and air sectors by reviewing regulations and policies at the regional level to facilitate smoother travel.

Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) ministers responsible for tourism have assured the world that the region is safe and secure despite frequent travel advisories.

In a statement at the end of the International Tourism Fair in Berlin, Germany, at the weekend, the ministers said despite several challenges, the region has agreed to tackle negative reports targeting the region that receive millions of tourists every year.

On behalf of her EAC colleagues, the Uganda minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Ms Agnes Akiror Egunyu, noted that five member countries of the bloc have adopted a pro-active approach to pre-empt reports geared at putting off people from across the globe wishing to visit East Africa.

Tourism is a major source of foreign earnings for Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and to some extent, Burundi, bringing in millions of dollars every year.

However, insecurity, including incidents of terrorist attacks and records of political instability in some of the EAC member countries, has undermined efforts to attract tourists, and travel advisories have not helped matters.

The EAC countries used the Berlin event to show a different picture and sell the rich holiday and safari destinations known for their wildlife and sandy beaches of Kenya and Tanzania’s coastlines. The countries also marketed specially tailored products, including a joint visa for Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi, to win visitors other than those from the traditional markets in the US, Europe and several Asian countries.

The Ugandan minister urged Commonwealth member countries to consult the EAC Secretariat in Arusha before publishing any travel warnings that have in the past been blamed for discouraging tourists eyeing the region. She noted that some of the advisories have been most unfair and inaccurate.

Speaking at the same briefing, the EAC deputy secretary general in charge of productive and social sectors, Ms Jesca Eriyo, informed the guests during the EAC Day at the Berlin show held during the fair on Friday, that the East Africa benefits significantly from the travel and tourism industry as a result of the region’s endowed resources.

She, however, noted that this industry does not stand alone, and is supported by other key sectors such as infrastructure and agriculture. She gave the example of the intra-regional road network that has improved greatly in the recent past.

Ms Eriyo told the large gathering at the event that efforts were underway to upgrade the water, rail and air sectors by reviewing regulations and policies at the regional level to facilitate smoother travel.

The EAC official noted that in striking the delicate balance between developing creative “products” that will continuously attract visitors to the region and sustaining the natural resources, measures were being taken to boost conservation and sustainable utilisation of wildlife and other categories of tourist attractions.

She said the EAC is aware of the dangers in the sector and was working with development partners to address poaching.

She stressed that the EAC region has agreed to revise legislations by bringing in stringent penalties to deter those bent on endangering East Africa’s flora and fauna.