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The
Magic of Kenya showcased at Locations Trade
Show
The Kenya Tourist
Board to participate in AFCI Locations Trade Show
to boost film opportunities within its
borders
Minneapolis, MN:
In order to boost Kenya's consumer appeal, the
Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) along with several Kenyan
film representatives will be promoting Kenya as a
choice location to worldwide filmmakers and
producers at The Association of Film Commission
International's Locations trade show on April
11-13, 2003 in Santa Monica, California.
Producers
worldwide have had a long-lasting love affair with
the Kenyan landscape and its people. Kenya has made
several long-term impacts in the film industry with
award-winning movies such as "Out of Africa", "Born
Free" and the new, highly acclaimed German film,
"Nowhere in Africa", which recently won Best
Foreign Language Film at this year's Academy
Awards.
"Kenya has been
attractive to film makers and producers for many
reasons," said Betty Buyu, Managing Director of the
Kenya Tourist Board, "The most important one being
the varied terrain and landscapes. Kenya offers up
images of every extreme: from enchanting beauty to
gritty ruggedness. But not only is our terrain
varied, so is our culture. We are host to over 80
different African tribes. Our land and people are
so colorful."
Last year alone
Kenya attracted over 300 filmmakers to Kenya. Its
abundant wildlife attracts an immense amount of
documentary filmmakers. To date, documentaries
consist of over half of the films shot in Kenya.
Yet although so many documentaries have been shot
there, Kenya has not been overexposed in feature
films, increasing its attraction as a top shoot
locale for scouting filmmakers.
Recently, Angelina
Jolie traveled to Kenya with her adopted son,
Maddox, to film Paramount's "Lara Croft, Tomb
Raider: The Cradle of Life." The Tomb Raider movie
sequel will be released in theatres on July 25,
2003. Another film scheduled to be released later
this year, named "Love Actually", staring Hugh
Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Colin Firth and Liam Neeson,
also filmed part of the movie in Kenya.
The Kenyan
government understands the importance this industry
has on Kenya's image. Therefore, it has made it
simple for foreign production companies to work
within Kenya. By retaining a Film License through
the Film Licensing Officer, film crews can access
and shoot almost any region of Kenya at a cost of
$18 with an additional $5/day of
shooting.
Not only is the
government welcoming of the industry, but there is
a wide support network within the country itself in
terms of film, production and post-production
houses. These sophisticated production companies
assist foreign filmmakers in scouting, shooting and
editing, which often help slash hefty travel and
lodging costs from a film's budget. These companies
are highly reputable, know the area well, help
scout perfect locales for specific needs, assist in
retaining appropriate transportation and provide
excellent location management during
shoots.
By addressing
Kenya's accessibility, excellent infrastructure and
friendly nature, the KTB hopes to instill Kenya's
appeal as a unique destination for film. By
participating in the Locations Trade Show, the KTB
hopes that more attention will be drawn to the
area.
The Kenya Tourist
Board will be representing Kenya along with Blue
Sky Film, Pontact Productions, the Kenya National
Film Association and the Kenya Film Production
Department.
866-44-KENYA
Provides A Tele-Safari For Kenyan Tourists
New Toll-Free Phone Number Becomes Tremendous
Resource For
U.S. Visitors Traveling To Kenya
Minneapolis, MN
(May 17, 2002): The Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) has
just announced the launch of its newest resource
option for American tourists, 866-44-KENYA
(1-866-445-3692), a toll-free number which serves
as an in-depth guide for travel agents and leisure
travelers interested in Kenya. The hotline allows
callers the opportunity to request brochures from
the KTB 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week or even
speak to a Kenya Tourist Board representative. In
addition, 866-44-KENYA provides callers with
detailed information on visa and entry
requirements, local weather, recommended
vaccinations prior to arrival, flight durations and
different safari options travelers may wish to
experience.
"We wanted to
implement the automated phone service in order to
assist the public in gaining reliable information
about Kenya," said Jennifer Opondo, North American
regional marketing manager for the Kenya Tourist
Board. "Because of KTB's recent push to attract
more travelers to the region, we've launched our
Web site www.MagicalKenya.com as well as launched
the 866-44-KENYA toll-free number to ensure we have
a solid communication system in place in order to
provide free, up-to-date, and accurate information
to anyone wishing to travel to the
region."
In an effort to
maximize the use of the system, as well as make
certain interested visitors can find the
appropriate answers to their questions, the KTB is
providing callers access to live Kenya Tourist
Board representatives during their normal business
hours of 8:30a.m. - 4:30p.m. CDT. Not only can
callers speak to a live representative, but they
can also access a variety of frequently asked
questions, from the best times of the year to visit
Kenya to an overview of the local
wildlife.
"866-44-KENYA
allows us to be proactive in providing American
tourists with reliable information about travel to
Kenya with the added benefit of providing
personalized service. Sometimes, people forget to
ask some important questions prior to traveling. We
try to provide those answers &endash; even before
the questions are posed. There are many things
people don't know about Kenya, especially the fact
it has varied ecosystems, a multitude of cultures,
and offers extremely diverse activities. We feel it
is our responsibility to inform visitors of all of
the potential safari experiences available when in
Kenya as well as how to properly and safely plan
for them," mentioned Opondo.
Callers can call
866-44-KENYA at any time to request a free safari
planning guide and pullout map of the country and
its 59 game reserves. The call is free. For more
information on Kenya Tourism visit the Kenya
Tourist Board's Web site at
www.MagicalKenya.com.
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