Kenya on charm offensive to woo Chinese tourists and investors

East African Affairs Commerce and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie and the Deputy chairman of the China Tourism Administration Wang Sifa exchange documents after Signing a Memorandum of Understanding that will see Kenya enjoy an approved destination status for Chinese tourists by Chinese government. [PHOTO: COURTESY]

Xiamen; China: Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Phyllis Kandie, has sent out a strong message to the international community, that Kenya is a tourism, commerce and investment hub.

Ms Kandie said her ministry's strategy is to market Kenya internationally as major tourism, commerce and investment hub for East Africans and the larger Comesa region. She was was addressing delegates at the 18th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) held in the south eastern coastal city of Xiamen, Fujian Province, China this week. She was accompanied by several Kenyan MPs, a senator and Kenya's Ambassador to China Michael Kinyanjui.

"The strategic plan of my ministry is to market Kenya as a holistic tourism, commerce and investment hub for Kenyans, East Africans and the larger Comesa region. We have put up measures to set up a commodities exchange to link the demand and supply of exports," she said.

She encouraged potential investors to set up enterprises in Kenya to have bigger access of the regional market. "If you invest in Kenya, you will have access to the 42 million Kenyans, 140 million East Africans and the 400 million people in the Comesa market," Kandie said, adding: "Kenya was voted the best safari destination last year at the 20th World Travel Awards, and the insecurity concerns that have plagued the country are being addressed."

Kenya scooped the top tourism award at an event held in November last year in Doha, Qatar, wading off stiff competition from other popular destinations in Africa. The award came hot on the heels of the Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) being voted the best marketing agency in Africa at an event in October in Nairobi.

Terror attacks blamed on Al-Qaeda insurgents operating under the Al Shabaab terrorist group from neighbouring Somalia have contributed to a decline in the number of tourists especially from western countries. USA and Britain had earlier in the year issued travel advisories against parts of the Coast, Nairobi and the Somalia border region to their citizens citing insecurity.

Kandie said Kenya was engaging the Chinese Government and firms at all levels to attract Foreign Direct Investments to Kenya. "China is now the second largest economy in the world and as a country we, are engaging the Chinese government and firms at all levels to ensure as much Foreign Direct Investments come to Kenya," she said.

The Cabinet Secretary also held discussions with several Chinese firms based in Fujian Province, which have shown interests in setting up convention centers in Kenya. Kandie is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Chinese government in Beijing that will see the promotion and marketing of Kenya as a safari destination to Chinese tourists. An activity that will be implemented by the Kenya Tourism Board.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dr Joyce Laboso, five Members of Parliament and a senator also attended the opening ceremony of the international fair. Senator Beatrice Elachi (nominated), MPs Florence Kajuju (Meru County), Wanjiku Muhia (Nyandarua County) and Sammy Koech (Konoin) travelled with the deputy Speaker. Others in the entourage include Irshad Sumra (Embakasi South) and Alfred Sambu (Webuye).

Embakasi South MP Irshad Sumra said the Kenyan government should aim at bringing down the cost of electricity if they are to attract Chinese investors in the country. "The cost of electricity in Kenya is very high and this discourages potential Chinese investors from setting up shop in Kenya. The government should focus their energy on reducing electricity costs.

Speaking on the sidelines of the trade fair, Dr Laboso said her presence at the fair was to affirm the recent growth in bilateral relations between China and Kenya. "President Uhuru Kenyatta visited China last year and signed several agreements with the Chinese government. Premier Li Keqiang as well witnessed the signing of an agreement in Nairobi this year, that will see China Exim Bank fund 90 per cent of the construction of the standard gauge railway," she said.

In May, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Treasury Henry Rotich and the President of China Exim Bank, Li Ruogu, signed an agreement in Nairobi that will see Beijing fund the ambitious project through the bank. China Road and Bridge Company is tasked with the responsibility of delivering one of the flagship projects of Kenya's Vision 2030.

Laboso said the trade fair was an important event for parliament because the recent past has seen increased bilateral trade between China and Kenya.
"There is a lot of mutual understanding between China and Kenya and as parliamentarians, it is important for us to understand these relations deeply," Laboso said.

Laboso, who toured the Kenyan stand at the trade fair with Senator Beatrice Elachi, said it was necessary to strengthen ties between the Kenya Bureau of Standards and the Chinese equivalent, Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection of the Ministry of Economic Affairs in a bid to increase volume of exports from China.  "Majority of exports from China end up in the American Market. This affirms that they are made using the highest standards. We should therefore partner with China as a country in an aim to increase the volume of quality exports to Kenya'" she said.

Senator Elachi, on her part said the Kenyan delegation was engaging China at various fronts and were scheduled to visit F and G Exim Company, Peak Sport Products Company and the Public Security Bureau in Beijing. "Apart from attending the trade fare, we are also engaging several Chinese enterprises at different fronts. From Xiamen, we will head to other parts of China to meet officials of Peak Sport Products Company, F and G Exim and the Public Security Bureau," the Senate Majority Chief Whip said.

Peak Sport Products Company is a Chinese leading sportswear company in Asia, and is ranked third by the National Basketball Association (NBA) in endorsements, while F and G Exim are a major truck and excavating equipment manufacturer in China. The Public Security Bureau is a government agency tasked with the printing of electronic Chinese National Identity cards.

Elachi also said that China cannot be ignored because the Chinese Government had changed its foreign policy from engaging African countries in terms of aid and were now engaging them on the basis of bilateral trade for mutual benefit. "The growing interest between China and African countries cannot be ignored because more African countries are now engaging the Chinese in bilateral trade rather than seeking traditional aid," she said.

Laboso and Elachi were received at the Kenyan stand, set up by Kenya Invest Authority officials by Managing Director Kenya Invest Authority Dr Moses Ikiara, the principal Kenya Utalii College, Dr Kenneth S Ombongi, and the Managing Director Kenya Tourism Board Mr Muriithi Ndegwa who had accompanied the cabinet secretary at the fair.

The Kenyan delegation led by Kandie and Laboso, had earlier met officials of the Fujian Provincial Government at a working dinner in Xiamen city. Governor Fujian Province Su Shulin, Vice Governor Zheng Xiaosong, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Fujian People's Government Li Hong and other senior government officials discussed among other things, the possibility of signing agreements with the coastal town of Mombasa to make Xiamen and Mombasa Sister Cities.
The agreement is aimed at promoting cultural and commercial ties between the two port cities. Fujian has a large coastline stretching 3,700kms with a total of 120 ports while Mombasa is East Africa's largest port. The port is expected to handle up to 280,000 tonnes of cargo annually starting this year.
Vice Premier Wang Yang officially opened the three-day fair that brought together delegates from over 900 institutions and 110 countries in a platform that showcased and promoted multilateral and bilateral relations.