CHINA DONATES ANTI-POACHING EQUIPMENT TO MAASAI MARA GAME RESERVE

Chongqing Municipal Government donated cameras, binoculars and other equipment to Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The donations are aimed at tracking down poachers as well as monitoring animal movements at the reserve.

Sun Zhengcai, a member of the political bureau of the communist party of China and Secretary of the Chongqing City, presented the equipment to Narok county governor Samuel Ole Tunai at a ceremony held at Keekorok Lodge. Also present during the ceremony were Principal Secretaries Ibrahim Mohammed (Tourism), Richard Lesyambe (Environment), KWS director William Kiprono and Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) managing director Muriithi Ndegwa.

A partnership agreement on tourism and trade between the county and the Chinese Municipality was also signed in a ceremony that was witnessed by Judy Wakhungu the Environment Cabinet Secretary.

While receiving the equipment, Tunai acknowledged that the donations will help fight poaching and added that the county would employ more rangers to help in the anti-poaching fight. He urged the local communities around the reserve to help in the fight and effectively participate in wildlife conservation because it is their heritage and source of income. He also noted that the number of Chinese visitors to the park stands at 50,000 and was optimistic it could hit 100,000 by end year.

Source: Standard Digital

KENYA TOURISM PERFORMANCE DROPPED LAST YEAR

Last year the tourism industry saw a two per cent decline in visitor numbers and earnings, a situation attributed to insecurity, pre-election nausea and Economic crises in Europe. Tourist Numbers dropped from 1.26 million in 2011 to 1.23million last year a 2.3per cent drop. In earnings, it dropped from Sh.97billion year 2011 to Sh.96.02 last year.

Kenya’s traditional tourist source markets led by United stood at 123,905 which was a 3.6 per cent increase compared to drops from Germany at 65,199 a 5.1 per cent decline, United Kingdom at 185,976 an 8.5 per cent drop while Italy posted a decline at 14.6 percent to 82,330. Mureithi Ndegwa, the managing director of the Kenya Tourist Board attributed the significant decline from the Italian market to cancellation of direct flights to Rome by Kenya Airways as well as reduction of frequent charters to the Coast.

Elephants at Amboseli

Uganda was the largest and fastest growing African source market with a 30 per cent increase to 55,449. South Africa was second at 40,707 which is a 6 per cent growth while Tanzania was third. Emerging source markets such as Asia posted remarkable growth with Middle East, India and China  posting 92 per cent at 40, 485, 3.9 per cent at 61,275 and 10per cent at 41,303 respectively. Tourism Minister Dan Mwanzo said the growth had been boosted by established routes from key airlines namely Etihad, Emirates, Kenya airways.