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Premium travel readers endorse Kenyan offerings

tours

Tourists at a beach resort in Watamu, Kilifi County. PHOTO | CHARLES LWANGA

The hospitality sector could be primed for good returns next year after 22,000 wealthy elite readers of America’s Global Traveler magazine named Kenya as the world’s best tourism destination.

In a statement issued at the conclusion of the Global Traveler (GT) readers’ survey, the influential magazine said frequent premium travellers who spend an average 60 nights per year in hotels — mostly four to five star properties — and about 72 percent who regularly travel in first and business class were impressed by Kenya’s offerings.

“It is an amazing accomplishment to celebrate the 15th year of our annual survey alongside my team and the winning companies,” said GT publisher-chief executive Francis Gallagher.

Kenya is set be crowned during a cocktail reception at The Peninsula Beverly Hills, California, where its unique offerings: from its wildlife and safaris to its leisure beaches and emerging experience packages across counties will be unveiled.

The award could also benefit Kenya Airways, which was declared the third best airline in Africa by GT readers.

KQ now operates a 14-hour direct Nairobi-New York flight five times a week. The survey honours airlines, hotels, loyalty programmes and travel-related products in more than 80 categories where GT’s readers vote for their favourites in the world of travel in an open-ended survey published in GT’s magazine and on its website.

The best 10 destinations after Kenya were Mexico, Ireland, South Africa, India, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, Brazil and Spain.

Kenya hosted the global American Travel Agents Association annual congress last year.

About 2,000 travel agents from America and Europe attended the forum.

Last October, Mombasa hosted the 79th Skal International World Congress that brought together 500 hospitality investors and operators.

“This well-travelled, savvy group truly knows the stand-out stars of the industry and it is our honour to celebrate them once again,” said Mr Gallagher.