East African Community member states are inching closer to marketing the region as a single tourist destination.Kenya’s Tourism Minister Dan Mwazo said Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi were putting final touches to an agreement that would allow tourists to visit attractions across the region in a single circuit.Mwazo, who is also the East African chairman of the Tourism Executive Council, said non-tariff barriers would also be removed to enhance free trade and travel.“The member states policies are being harmonised for the realisation of full cooperation, the provision of quality service to tourists and joint conservation of the wildlife,” Mr Mwazo said.Addressing a Press conference at the Kenyan exhibition stand at the World Travel Market in London, Mr Mwazo said the region would also have joint efforts in conserving wildlife.He was accompanied by Tanzania Tourism minister Hamisi Kagasheki, Uganda Tourism minister Maria Mutagamba, the region’s ambassadors in the UK and heads of tourism boards.Mr Mwazo said the five countries would lobby for the lifting of travel advisories slapped on Kenya by the US and UK among other European countries following improvements in security.Ms Mutagamba called on the EAC states to fight for affordable holiday packages so that the region’s citizens could enjoy the tourist products. She said the region’s hotels and lodges could gain good business if efforts were made to sensitise the more than 100 million East Africans on the need to go on holiday.The minister noted that Uganda last year registered a 24 per cent growth in tourism compared to 2010, with international tourist arrivals of 1.15 million.Last year, she said, Uganda earned $805 million up from $660 million in 2010. This year, she added, Uganda targets to attract 1.2 million international visitors.
