The
Magic of Kenya showcased at Locations
Trade Show
The
Kenya Tourist Board participates in
AFCI Locations Trade Show to boost film
opportunities within its
borders
Flashback:
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 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.
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