Safari Rally: Kenya opens new office in Europe to promote sports tourism

Kenya has opened a new Safari Rally office in Europe to help market the country as a sports tourist destination.

The new destination was unveiled in Lahti, Finland, on Tuesday by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and WRC Safari Rally Kenya Chief Executive Officer Phineas Kimathi.

"The Safari Rally is a major attraction to Kenya. By incorporating ‘Visit Kenya’ as part of the Safari coffee project, as the Kenyan coffee sells in the Europe rallies, so do our tourist numbers increase," said Amina.

Through sports tourism, the project intends to capitalise on the great history and rich heritage of the Safari Rally.

"The sport is one of the greatest homegrown brands on the African continent and one of the most recognizable globally," said Amina.

"The other objectives of the office will be to promote Kenya as a major tourist destination.

"The office will also market the Kenyan coffee, and individual coffee farmers in Kenya.

 "The other role will be to create awareness on the Greening Legacy Project in Kenya which plans to plant 19m trees," she added.

The city of Lahti is one of the greenest cities in the world.

The European Commission has named Lahti as the European Green Capital of 2021.

"We want to 

learn from the best. This project intends to plant one tree for every kilo of Kenyan coffee purchased," said Amina.

Coffee is one of Kenya's biggest exports, agriculture accounts for 40% of the Kenyan workforce.

Amina said the project has the potential of shifting Kenya’s trade balance significantly.

 "We are looking at a future of roasting coffee in Kenya, and giving the immediate dollar value to the farmer," she said.

By naming Lahti as the European Green Capital of 2021, this will help to twin the Greening Legacy and Kenyan coffee sales thereby achieving the afforestation goals and the trade volumes.

Initiatives that the new Kenya Safari Rally office in Europe will promote

1.Safari Rally adventure

2.Agriculture

3.Trade

4.Tourism

5.Environment