EAST AFRICA TOURISM PLATFORM
CO-OPETITION: THE NEW SPIRIT OF DESTINATION EAST AFRICA
Nairobi, November 30, 2016
CO-OPETITION: THE NEW SPIRIT OF DESTINATION EAST AFRICA • EAC is one of the few regional economic blocs experiencing unprecedented commitment and strengthened cooperation in regional tourism marketing. • So far, the region is enjoying the fruits of collaboration including zero-cost work permits-enabling free movement of labour, Single Tourist Visa, use of IDs as travel documents and joint campaigns clearly demonstrating that the vision of One Destination is taking shape. • Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda are particularly doing business unusual with the dedication of joint marketing budgets. The three partner states are once again signalling at deepening their co-operation beyond political statements with a view to expanding trade and business opportunities across borders. • Moreover, we are glad that our efforts of marketing the region under One Stand have received approval from top political and private actors in the region. • For the first time, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda participated in World Travel Market under one joint pavilion/ stand within a banner of ‘Borderless borders; One Destination, One Visa’. • In spite of Tanzania and Burundi’s political regimes being slow to adopting joint regional tourism development and marketing initiatives, their private sectors are closely working with us. They are actively participating in joint regional marketing events such as Kwita Izina and Magical Kenya. MILESTONES • A single competitive East Africa tourism destination is shaping. Major achievements have been attained in private-public partnerships. EATP is glad that the brand of East Africa is growing stronger and flying higher in international markets. • Additionally, we cannot understate the spirit of cooperative finance of regional marketing. Joint marketing campaigns of Destination East Africa are noble & promise to increase tourist arrivals to the region. • Co-opetition: as much as our partner states are competing to attract tourists to their individual countries, we need to strengthen our cooperative marketing efforts.
EAST AFRICAN TOURISM PLATFORM | www. ea-tourism-platform.org
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Destination East Africa
EAST AFRICA TOURISM PLATFORM Kenya Tourism Federation Ð Secretariat| KWS Headquarters Ð Langata Road, P.O. Box 15013-00509, Nairobi| Tel: +254208001000/3/1| Mobile: +254724624538 Facebook: East Africa Tourism Platform| Twitter: @TourismEA| Skype: tourismea