In an effort to encourage intra-regional travel, the East African Community (EAC) launched the EAC Regional and Domestic Tourist Media Campaign. This is in a bid to promote East Africa travel. The pandemic-related marketing campaign dubbed “Tembea Nyumbani,” is aimed at encouraging East Africans to visit their own countries and other countries in the region.
The campaign will run from December 1st, 2021 to December 15th, 2021. The EAC Tourism Marketing Strategy and the EAC Recovery Plan are being implemented with the help of the German Development Agency, GIZ.
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Twende Nyumbani Campaign
The campaign intends to promote partner states’ tourism in the next three months. It is a part of a larger effort to promote regional and domestic tourism in the region.
East African Community launch of the Twende Nyumbani campaign. Photo/EAC
East Africa Tourism Platform holds the belief that anywhere in East African is home away from home. It is against this backdrop that the campaign is pegged on to increase tour and travel between EAC states.
Tourism Arrivals
Tourism arrivals in East Africa dropped by roughly 67%, from 6.98 million in 2019 to an expected 2.25 million in 2020, because of the COVID-19 epidemic, which hit the economy badly. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism provided 10% of GDP, 17% of export revenues, and 7% of new jobs to the economies of EAC partner countries.
Cheap Packages
Dr Peter Mathuki, the Secretary-General of the East African Community (EAC) challenged the region’s tourism industry to offer cheap travel packages. According to Dr Mathuki, this will encourage East Africans to travel more – domestically and regionally.
Moreover, affordably packaged by the industry operators will promote business during the Christmas holidays and in the months to come.
In the same vein, he called on East Africans to take advantage of this offer adding that entry fees to parks will reduce. Also, it is an opportune moment to experience the region’s different cultures, engage in adventure safaris, and visit exotic beaches.
EACPass
Further, Dr Mathuki stated, the EAC has developed an EACPass that incorporates and validates the COVID-19 exams and immunization certificates for the EAC Partner States in order to simplify entrance across the region.
The EAC and the East African Tourism Platform are working together on the Tembea Nyumbani campaign, which aims to promote tourism in East Africa.
The initiative encourages hotels and other tourism service providers to offer low-cost packages to EAC locals.
Jean Baptiste Havugimana, EAC Director in charge of Productive Sectors, said that the EAC is making progress in ensuring that the Single Tourist Visa is implemented by all EAC Partner States.
On July 15, 2021, the Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management recommended that the Secretariat convene a multisectoral meeting including key sectors such as tourism and wildlife, immigration, and security, to develop a framework for the introduction of the Single Tourist Visa by all Partner States.
According to Havugimana, a meeting will be held in early 2022, and after the Visa is fully implemented, foreign tourists will be able to travel more easily around the region.
Simon Kiarie of the East African Community (EAC) further said the EAC expects to receive roughly 4 million tourists in 2022 through active regional and national tourism activities.
How Did COVID-19 Pandemic Affect East Africa’s Tourism?
Tourism is a leading foreign exchange-earners in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a huge blow to the sector leaving it in an abyss. Travel restrictions and a surge in COVID-19 cases saw a drastic drop in the number of international tourists visiting.
In 2019, EAC tourism raked in 9.5% of the region’s GDP. An estimated 17.2% of all EAC exports were from tourism while there was a 7.1% employment rate.
When the pandemic hit in early 2020, EAC cumulatively lost $4.8 billion. Further two million jobs were lost within the year.
‘Tembea Nyumbani is, therefore, a collection approach by the EAC bloc to cushion the sector from further losses.
The campaign is in execution by stakeholders from the six-member states. Each state will promote a unique tourism package – each of them has something unique to offer.
A holiday in Zanzibar. [Photo/Enchanting Travel]
Discounts And Packages
On the Tembea Nyumbani portal, there are discounted packages for those seeking to take up the opportunity to travel now.
The campaign portal lists down a wide range of the most inspiring places to visit in a particular country. It also focuses on the connection between industry players and customers.
Besides magical wild tours that East Africa is known for, Tembea Nyumbani has so much more to offer. Part of the discounted packages includes those for sightseeing different attractions and different culinary experiences.
