Tourism Cabinet Phylis Kandie: US President Barack Obama's visit a boost for tourism industry

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phylis Kandie

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phylis Kandie is upbeat over President Barrack Obama’s visit terming it an endorsement of the country as a secure destination for tourists.

Kandie said America is Kenya's second largest tourists’ source market after the United Kingdom, accounting for over 100,000 tourists a year, adding that Obama's visit is symbolic and a major shot in the arm for the tourism sector.

The US President is scheduled to arrive in the country on Friday to attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) and many US investors and other dignitaries are expected to jet into the country.

"We remain grateful to the American market and its citizenry for having kept faith in Kenya even during the times when we had security challenges. President Obama and the GES forum will bring to Kenya potential US and global investors, media and business tourists and this will ultimately encourage more investors and visitors to come in," Kandie said.

The CS is optimistic that direct air flights between Kenya and the USA scheduled to start next year will be another big turning point in terms of boosting trade between the two countries and would assist the country's efforts to lure tourists from the US market.

Kandie jetted into the country Monday from the US, where she visited several key US cities and states, to drum up support for the upcoming Africa Travel Association (ATA) congress in its 40th edition slated for November 9th-14th in Nairobi.