Kenya has further cemented its position as a global leader in wildlife tourism by being named World’s Leading Safari Destination 2021 by World Travel Awards (WTA).
This announcement was made on December 16, 2021, during the WTA grand final winners’ day to celebrate excellence in all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.
Kenya has been recognised for this prestigious award at the annual global awards for the eighth time in the last nine years, and for the seventh time in a row. The award was given to the destination in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and now 2021.
Botswana, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were among the nominees in this category. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO Dr Betty Radier described the win as a testament to Kenya’s superior offering of the Safari product and experience.
“This recognition is an endorsement of Magical Kenya, known as home of authentic African Safari. Without a doubt this is well-deserved, and I believe that we shall get even better. We shall continue with our commitment towards preserving and showcasing to the world the unique wildlife heritage bestowed to our country for the sake of generations to come,” she said.
Despite the challenges the destination has faced as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Radier emphasised Kenya’s resilience, which has positioned it as a preferred destination for tourists from all over the world.
“Ours is to continue building on this product which has a lot of potential for growth. For example, now with the Magical Kenya Signature Experiences travellers have an opportunity to experience a foot safari or even track wildlife while on foot,” Dr. Radier added Kenya has been steadfast in innovating ways to showcase its tourism products and ensure that more visitors can experience the destination. The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife launched a virtual live stream campaign in 2020 to highlight game safaris in parks and reserves across the country. As part of the Magic Awaits destination marketing campaign, the campaign was broadcast globally. The activity was critical in keeping the destination alive during a period when tourism activities were scarce.
Kenya collaborated with video sharing platform TikTok in August 2021 to showcase the great wildebeest migration and the Masai Mara. This ensured that people who were unable to travel to Kenya at the time were able to witness the spectacle. “Kenya is a rich and diverse country, with an incredible wildlife offering which we want to highlight as well as protect. Together with our partners we can now engage the world with content and experiences from any part of the country and drive more awareness of our country and wildlife, especially during this time when travel is limited with the aim of curbing the spread of the virus. Kenya Tourism Board is keen to ensure Magical Kenya remains top of mind among consumers” Dr. Radier remarked. Kenya takes pride in having the best wildlife viewing destinations in the world, including the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, the Tsavo East and West National Parks, Lake Nakuru National Park, Meru National Park, Aberdare National Park, and Nairobi National Park, the world’s only national park within a capital city.
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