Kenya Beats Uganda To Emerge World’s Top Safari Destination

Kenya has been honored once more as the world’s leading safari destination by the World Travel Awards, triumphing over strong competition from other notable African countries such as Uganda, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The prestigious award was presented during a grand ceremony at the JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Hotel in Vietnam on December 10. This marks the fourth time Kenya has received this accolade, having previously won in 2013, 2015, and last year.

Additional Accolades for Kenya

In addition to the global recognition, Kenya also secured several awards in the African category, including Africa’s Leading Beach Destination, Africa’s Leading National Park, and Africa’s Leading Tourist Board.

The World Travel Awards stated: “It is with great pleasure that we announce the world winners of the 24th World Travel Awards 2017.”

Other notable winners included Thanda Island from Tanzania, which earned the title of World’s Leading Exclusive Private Island, and Four Seasons Safari Lodge, Serengeti, also from Tanzania, which won the World’s Leading Safari Lodge. South Africa’s Legend Golf and Safari Resort took home the award for World’s Leading Safari Resort, while Villa iZulu @ Thanda Safari claimed the title of World’s Leading Luxury Private Villa. Shambala Private Reserve from South Africa was recognized as the World’s Leading Private Game Reserve.

The Oscars of Travel

The World Travel Awards are considered the “Oscars” of the travel industry, celebrating excellence across tourism, hospitality, and airline sectors globally. The organization plays a crucial role in promoting and developing the travel and tourism industry by identifying outstanding service and inspiring continuous improvement.

Votes for the awards are cast by qualified executives in the travel and tourism sectors, as well as consumer travel buyers.

Proud Recognition for Kenya

Jimi Kariuki, chairman of the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), expressed pride in Kenya’s achievement, highlighting the country’s renowned safari locations, including the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, and the Tsavo East and West National Parks.

“The annual wildebeest migration in the Mara and the diverse wildlife, including the Big Five, truly set Kenya apart as the ultimate safari destination,” said Mr. Kariuki. He emphasized that the KTB would leverage this global recognition to aggressively market Kenya to both traditional and emerging tourist markets.

Mohamed Hersi, chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), echoed the sentiment, asserting that Kenya is undeniably the best safari destination in the world. “We are thrilled to receive this esteemed global award and must use this momentum to attract more safari enthusiasts as we work toward tourism recovery,” he said.

Mr. Kariuki also stressed the importance of preserving Kenya’s natural resources to maintain its global safari reputation, urging an end to illegal poaching to enhance the country’s appeal to wildlife lovers.