, NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 27 – Express Travel Group Kenya has been appointed as the exclusive partner of Travel Leaders Network in the country and the East African region.
ETG’s CEO Alastair Addison said the partnership, with the American firm, will improve the company’s value proposition and allow it to offer a highly personalized service model to its international travelers.
The deal will also see ETG get enhanced technology solutions, unique supplier programs among other benefits.
“While we’re joining forces with Travel Leaders, one thing won’t change — our customers will continue to receive the highest level of personal attention and service that they’ve come to expect,” Addison said.
“We’ll continue to lead the way in travel by offering innovative travel options for both business and leisure travelers backed by leading technology and industry expertise,” he added.
The company is one of the dozen travel management firms around the world to sign such a partnership with Travel Leaders Network.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, who graced the function, lauded the partnership saying it amplifies Kenya’s status as a preferred destination.
“Without a doubt, this new partnership will promote traveler arrivals into Kenya both for business and leisure purposes helping to achieve our goal of increased tourism arrivals,” he said.
According to latest statistics, travel and tourism in the country grew by 5.6 per cent in 2018 to contribute to Sh790 billion and 1.1 million jobs to the Kenyan economy.
Industry players say this rate of growth is faster than the global average of 3.9 percent and the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 3.3 percent, making Kenya the third largest tourism economy in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria, both of which grew substantially less than Kenya in 2018.
In total, International tourists spent over Sh157 billion in Kenya last year, accounting for over 15 percent of total exports.
The largest inbound international markets were the USA at 11 percent, the UK at 9 percent, India at 6 percent and China and Germany at 4 percent.
Combined with domestic spending, Travel & Tourism supported 8.8 percent of the nation’s GDP in 2018.
