Kenya has been voted among the top 20 destinations in the world where tourists would like to go when the pandemic is no longer a global emergency.
The global travel industry, leading travel and package holiday booking sites based on unique experiences and unforgettable adventures, have voted Kenya as one of the top destinations to visit from late 2021 and, more realistically, from 2022.
Kenya's parks and reserves are featured in all the major industry players' rankings, but Nairobi and the coast with pearls Watamu, Diani and Lamu are also popular.
For one of the most popular American portals for travel enthusiasts, Indagare.com, the African country even comes top.
It is the founder and CEO of the holiday planning company, Melissa Biggs Bradley, who confirms her choice for 2021 and 2022.
"We're definitely seeing an increase in holiday demand and travel for 2021, as well as international travel," Bradley said in an interview with Forbes magazine. "Many of our members are planning trips for 2021 and 2022 because they know demand will be high in popular destinations.
Experts predict that travellers will also be more thoughtful and responsible when it comes to deciding where to take their first post-pandemic trip and how to approach the entire travel experience. And travel companies will be more flexible than ever when it comes to allowing travellers to postpone or cancel trips when necessary.
"Take Africa," explains Indagare's CEO, "Much of the continent relies on tourism for employment, conservation and efforts to save endangered animals, as well as to support entire communities. Because of the pandemic, thousands of rangers and conservationists have lost their jobs, which means poaching is on the rise again."
For Indagare, Kenya is always a classic and its landscapes are the definition of 'open spaces', which will make the country more attractive than ever during the period of social estrangement. Add in some trendy new hotel deals and it's no wonder Kenya tops the site's 'hot list' for 2021. Bradley herself has just returned from almost three weeks in Kenya and plans to return soon. She explains to Forbes that she was impressed with the way the country is handling Covid, including the rigorous testing requirements and temperature sensing practices. "I felt very safe," she said, "I was able to get into properties like Giraffe Manor in Nairobi, as well as places that are normally impossible to book in the bush, including Sasaab, Segera and Angama Mara. I believe you will soon be able to experience other places in Kenya and Nairobi itself in a new way."
Other sites and search engines also report Kenya as one of the most clicked destinations, particularly from the US and Europe. The uncontaminated nature, the idea of relaxation and large expanses that contrast with the long period often spent within the four walls of the home or with limitations that will partly end with vaccines, is one of the attractions that could become the strengths of the country whose tourism industry should not be found unprepared.