The East African Community (EAC) will participate as an entity for the first time at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) – Berlin, the world’s largest tourism trade expo, from March 4th to 6th, 2025, according to its Secretary General, Hon. Veronica Nduva who verified the information yesterday, Wednesday, 19th, 2025.
EAC intends to market the region as a single tourism destination, highlighting its unique attractions under the name “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe.”
While confirming the event,Ms.Veronica stated that the event is part of the community’s efforts to position the region as a leading global tourism destination, with the primary goal of attracting international tourists and investors by highlighting the region’s rich cultural heritage, natural beauty, and unique attractions, as well as breaking into the international market.
Participation in ITB Berlin will also provide an opportunity to promote East Africa’s multi-destination tourist offerings and cross-border experiences.
International visitors will now be able to discover the region’s seamless travel options, including beautiful natural scenery, pristine beaches along the Indian Ocean, and rich cultural traditions.
Tourism continues to be a significant contributor to the region’s economy, driving foreign exchange revenues and providing jobs.
The EAC’s representation as a cohesive bloc at ITB Berlin aims to promote international visitor arrivals and foster sustainable tourism practices among member states.
“We are delighted to note that the EAC has fully recovered from the impacts of COVID-19 in terms of tourism numbers, with the region having recorded approximately 8.5 million international tourist arrivals in 2024, compared to pre-COVID levels of 7.7 million arrivals in 2019,” Ms. Nduva said.
The Secretary General also stated that by promoting the “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe” tourism brand as well as national tourism brands, the EAC will have over 11 million tourist arrivals by the end of 2027.
The European Union’s LIFTED project supports the marketing of regional tourism under the “Visit East Africa: Feel the Vibe Brand,” which includes participation at ITB. LIFTED, or “Leveraging Integration Frameworks for Trade in Services and CSOs in the EAC,” is a project funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
According to the EAC, LIFTED intends to increase EAC, continental, and bilateral trade with the EU in services, as well as civil society engagement within the framework of the (AfCFTA) for people-centred EAC integration, a cause that is implemented by the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in partnership with the EAC Secretariat.
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