Africa, a place of laughter and fun

By Hans

The international tourist industry is forever changing and searching for new and existing destinations with interesting free add-ons, for their ever more demanding clients.

In Kenya it was the unbeatable safari in the 1960s, especially after seeing on the TV the popular wild life films by Armand and Michaela Denis.

That was in the early days of black and white television, the breathtaking sceneries stunned people. Many marvelled when they saw Michaela with real wild animals as pets in their Nairobi home, occasionally even lions in the bedroom. What a different and exotic country!

First time wealthy visitors flying into Nairobi, booked safaris for up to three weeks. This all changed in the 1970s when tourist started to arrive by chartered planes to Mombasa. These ones had less money and even less time to go on longer safaris.

Locals interacting with a visitor

Global village

Their stay in Kenya was reduced to a sea, sun and sand holiday. Around that time air-safaris were introduced and one could fly to Amboseli and Maasai Mara for two or three days, a costly but a once in a lifetime experience!

Come the 1990s the world became a global village and the traveller had an enormous choice of unique destinations. The destination now has to be exciting but above all convince people to spend money.

A German programme producer told me recently that they have to slot all bad news from Africa as last item of their programme because viewers are tired of seeing https://cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images of misery and starvation. Our country has still a lot to offer and can attract millions of people if marketed in a more creative way.

One has to realise that Europeans lead a hectic life with a lot of pressure in their home country. Performing is the name of the game and in many jobs people aged 35-40 are regarded as old and are replaced with well-trained professionals of 24 years. Even with two earners in the family and no children, it is difficult to save money. There are mortgages and cars loans to be paid, memberships of clubs and an expensive lifestyle.

Those people also hardly have time to meet and communicate with family and friends. Visiting Kenya is still for many a culture shock. It starts with the exotic smells on arrival, a combination of earth, flowers and other fragrances.

Many Europeans have forgotten the act of talking, laughing and just having a good time chatting.

These are some of the things they come to seek in Africa.