NAIROBI, July 20 (Xinhua) — The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), the country’s tourism marketing agency, said Friday it will use the upcoming Paris Olympics to showcase Kenya’s potential in sports tourism.
John Ololtuaa, principal secretary in the State Department of Tourism, said in a statement issued in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that the role of sports personalities as national icons and global ambassadors is key to showcasing the destination’s potential for tourism and sports during the Games.
Besides celebrating the prowess of the country’s athletes, the Olympics offers a prime opportunity for Kenya to share its vibrant culture and heritage with the world, Ololtuaa said, adding that “as we wish our Olympians’ success in their various disciplines, we are confident their excellence will draw positive attention to our great nation.”
The Olympics come during Kenya’s peak tourism season that traditionally runs from June through October. Its key highlights include the world-famous wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in southern Kenya and the humpback whale migration in the coastal town of Watamu, both spectacles often dubbed the “Twin Migration.”
The KTB is poised to rally more tourists at the Olympics to experience the splendor of the peak season, and also aims to spotlight the country’s rich cultural heritage and diverse attractions to the global visitors expected at the sporting event.
Kenya will enter the Olympics as Africa’s most decorated nation, with over 100 medals to its name.
