The East African Community (EAC) is poised to take part in the International Tourism Exhibition (ITB) in Berlin, Germany, as a cohesive regional bloc aimed at promoting tourism development among its member states as a singular tourist destination.
For the first time, the EAC Secretariat will have its own stand at the ITB Convention, located at Messedamm, Berlin, which is recognized as the largest tourism trade fair in the world. This event is scheduled to occur from March 4th to 6th of this year.
By presenting itself as a unified tourism destination, the EAC will highlight its varied attractions under the campaign “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe.”
The EAC Secretary General, Ms. Veronica Nduva, has confirmed the regional bloc’s participation, emphasizing that the EAC’s presence at this prominent tourism exhibition is a strategic move to establish the East African region as a premier global tourism destination.
The regional bloc of East Africa seeks to draw international tourists and investors by showcasing the area’s rich cultural heritage, stunning natural landscapes, and distinctive attractions, as stated by Nduva.
East African nations boast a wealth of tourist attractions and captivating sites, offering a diverse array of experiences for travelers. This region serves as a natural habitat for some of the world’s most renowned wildlife species, including the Big Five, which consistently draw visitors from across the globe.
The African elephant, lion, rhinoceros, buffalo, and leopard, collectively known as the “Big Five,” are among the most sought-after wildlife species, enticing international tourists to explore East Africa.
Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa, stands out as a premier tourist destination, attracting visitors worldwide. Additionally, the Serengeti Great Migration, a remarkable natural phenomenon where millions of wildebeest traverse between Kenya and Tanzania, remains a significant highlight of the region’s tourism heritage.
The vibrant cities of East Africa, along with its welcoming populace and diverse ethnic communities, further contribute to its status as an essential travel destination.
Participation in ITB Berlin will provide an opportunity to showcase East Africa’s multi-destination tourism offerings and cross-border experiences.
International travelers will have the opportunity to discover seamless travel options throughout the region, characterized by stunning natural landscapes, pristine beaches along the Indian Ocean, and rich cultural traditions.
The East African Community (EAC) aims to illustrate the region’s capacity to deliver an unforgettable travel experience for tourists from around the world.
Exhibitors representing each nation in East Africa are anticipated to engage with buyers from global travel markets, thereby enhancing connections with international travel trade partners.
The East African Community (EAC) will also facilitate a forum to explore sustainable tourism trends and collaborative marketing initiatives as it unveils the “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe” brand.
Tourism continues to play a vital role in the region’s economy, contributing significantly to foreign exchange revenues and generating employment opportunities.
By presenting itself as a cohesive entity at ITB Berlin, the EAC seeks to boost international tourist arrivals and promote sustainable tourism practices.
This strategy is in line with the EAC’s overarching goal of standardizing services among member states, ensuring a consistently high-quality experience for all visitors.
According to Ms. Nduva, the EAC has fully rebounded from the effects of Covid-19 regarding tourism figures, with the region recording approximately 8.5 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, surpassing the pre-Covid-19 figure of 7.7 million arrivals in 2019.
She also noted that through the promotion of the “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe” tourism brand, alongside national tourism initiatives, the EAC aims to achieve over 11 million tourist arrivals by the conclusion of 2027.
The Chairman of the East Africa Tourism Platform, Mr. Fred Odek Odhiambo, emphasized the critical importance of the East African Community’s (EAC) involvement, describing it as a historic milestone that will significantly enhance the region’s tourism sector on the global stage.
“With the initiative ‘Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe,’ we aim to highlight not only the unmatched beauty and cultural diversity of our region but also to strengthen East Africa’s position as a cohesive, multi-destination experience,” he stated.
The newly launched EAC tourism brand, “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe,” is intended to promote the East African region as a unified tourist destination and an emerging hub for tourism investment in Africa.
Mr. Odhiambo further remarked that this represents a crucial opportunity for the world to experience the full vibrancy of East Africa.
“We anticipate establishing significant partnerships that will foster sustainable tourism development and investment throughout the region,” he added.
The promotion of regional tourism under the “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe” brand, including participation at ITB, is backed by the European Union through the LIFTED project.
LIFTED (Leveraging Integration Frameworks for Trade in Services and Civil Society Organizations in the EAC) is a project co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The objective of LIFTED is to enhance EAC, continental, and bilateral trade with the EU in services and civil society engagement, all within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to promote people-centered integration in the EAC.
The project is executed by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) of Germany in partnership with the EAC Secretariat.