DUE TO PANDEMIC, EAC PARTNER STATES LOST 92% TOURISM REVENUE.
The whole world is affected negatively due to the fact that coronavirus has affected the world economically, religiously, politically and socially. East African Community lost 92% of Tourism revenue during the pandemic which attacked it in 2020 though started in 2019.
“Tourist arrivals to the region fell from 6.98 million arrivals in before the pandemic to 2.25 million arrivals occasioning the losses, adding that the tourism sector was the worst hit by the pandemic. “Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki EAC Secretary General said.
To ensure speedy recovery for the sector, Dr. Mathuki urged EAC Partner States governments and other stakeholders to work together to market the region’s tourist attractions and products as part of efforts.
“Promotion of Resilient Tourism for Inclusive Socio-economic Development.” is the theme of the EXPO.
Dr. Mathuki says that the pandemic has reversed the gains that we had made in the tourism sector, we are quite confident that through collective and collaborative efforts, we should be able to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels of performance and even do better within a span of less than five years.
Dr. Mathuki added saying as a region, we have what it takes including iconic and fascinating tourist attractions ranging from pristine white beaches to beautiful snowcapped mountains, rolling savannahs to dense rainforests, rich cultural heritage that span the entire region and unmatched diversity in wildlife species.
“The region had drawn a number of important lessons from the pandemic especially in relation to the economic sectors that were hard hit such as tourism.” He continuously said.
The Community would take a number of steps to enhance recovery in the sector by standing out and resonates with most destinations around the world is the need to entrench resilience in the tourism sector.
The Secretary General said that at the EXPO is among the first initiatives that we have embarked on as part of rolling out implementation of the Regional Tourism Recovery Plan that was approved by the EAC Ministers for Tourism and Wildlife Management on 15th July, 2021.
“The EAC was also planning to undertake a major Regional and Domestic Tourism Campaign in the region.” Dr. Mathuki said.
He said basing on the premise that our intra-regional tourism market is ripe and provides the best backstopping in case of future shocks. As you are all aware, the middle class in Africa has been growing rapidly and it largely comprises of young people who are eager to travel and explore. East Africa should be their first destination. They should take advantage of the preferential rates applicable to EAC citizens.
What should be done to get tourism back on stand?
While entering public tourist sites such as national parks and reserves, the decision has been implemented by all Partner States and has been extended to hotels and other tourist accommodation establishments that the EAC citizens should be charged local rates which are distributed across the region.
To diversify their tourism products by developing other products such as conference tourism, cultural tourism, sports tourism, and hailed the United Republic of Tanzania for launching a Golf Tourism campaign.
By emphasizing development and promotion of multi-destination tourism packages that would encourage visitors to travel to more than one EAC Partner State in a single trip by supporting the initiative of Branding EAC as a Single Tourism Destination that is also in the pipeline.
The region had commenced capacity building activities targeting the various tourism service providers including hotels, tour operators, travel agencies, tour guides and even local communities.
Training of frontline staff on COVID-19 safety measures at all international airports in the EAC Partner States harmonized Covid-19 relating to tourism guidelines that were implemented.
Regional Guidelines for Resumption of Services in the Tourism and Hospitality Sector aimed at ensuring that visitors are safe as they travel within the region were approved by the Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management.
By developing an EACPass that facilitates the travel industry to get back to normal while keeping people safe in the wake of pandemic.
To ensure safe and seamless travel across the region, EACPass integrates all EAC Partner States COVID-19 test results and Certificates.
By enhancing our capacity for digital tourism marketing will bring back tourism despite the pandemic. Although the world has moved on fast, the travel and tourism industry is one of the fields that should be at forefront aiming to have all tourism operators including SMEs in the digital space to ensure that they are able to commercialize their services.
The need to maintain the integrity of the region in terms of environmental sustainability should not be overlooked in promoting the EAC as a single tourism destination.
The Regional Strategy to Combat Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trade has been implemented by the EAC who robust policy instruments that guide them in collaboration in environmental management.
During Hon. Damas Ndumbaru’s remarks at the EXPO, he cocluded saying that there are 400 exhibitors with 15 African countries sending high level representatives who were attracted by the EXPO.
“Tanzania would be hosting the UN World Tourism organised meeting of African Ministers of Tourism in Arusha in January 2021.” Tanzania’s Minister for the Natural Resources and Tourism Hon. Ndumbaru further revealed.
While at the EXPO South Sudan’s Minister for Wildlife Conservation and Tourism Lt. Gen. Rizik Zacharia Hassan said the world’s youngest country was open for business with tourist attractions ranging from cultural tourism to unique geographical features.
“The region’s wildlife resources were facing increasing demands for farmland by communities neighbouring wildlife sanctuaries.” Mr. Joseph Boinnet Kenya’s Chief Administrative Secretary said during the event.
EAC should therefore invest in areas that will ensure wildlife resources are managed sustainably vis-à-vis competing factors such as climate change and competing land use patterns.
While at the Expo in Arusha, different repesenatives from different countries represented and these were Tourism Ministers Hon. Philda Nani Kereng (Botswana), Hon. Memunata B. Pratt (Sierra Leone) and Hon. Moses Vilakati (Eswatini). Others were the East African Legislative Assembly Speaker, Hon. Ngoga Martin, the Judge President of the East African Court of Justice, Justice Nestor Kayobera, Tanzania’s Permanent Secretary for Natural Resources and Tourism Dr. Allan Kijazi, and the Arusha Regional Commissioner, Hon. John V. Mongella, The Executive Chairman of the African Tourism Board, Mr. Cuthbert Ncube.
