TheArt of Wood Carving AMakueni County Heritage

Makueni County boasts a long running history oflegendaryhandicraftsandwoodworkers.Itis known for its rich artistic heritage in wood carvingandhandicrafts.Thecountyishometo severalskilledartisanswhohavemasteredthe craft of carving and creating beautiful pieces that reflect the cultural heritage and natural surroundingsofthearea.

WoodcarvingisapopularcraftinMakueni,and it is used for creating various products such as wooden statues, furniture, and decorative items.Theartisansusedifferenttypesofwood, including mahogany, ebony, and mango, to make their products. They take pride in their workmanship and pay great attention to detail, resulting in intricately carved designs and patternsthatarebreathtakinglybeautiful.

Handicrafts are also a significant part of Makueni's cultural heritage Artisans in the county create unique handicraft products such as baskets, mats, and bags, using locally sourcedmaterialssuchassisal,bananafiber, and palm leaves. The crafts are handmade andfeatureintricatedesignsandpatternsthat givethemadistinctandauthenticlook.

Tourists visiting Makueni County often purchase handcrafted products as souvenirs or gifts for loved ones due to their high quality and cultural significance. The crafts are also soldinlocalmarketsandtradefairs,providing a source of income for the artisans and their families.

Makueni County is a hub of artistic creativity and talent, evident in the beautiful wood carvingsandhandcraftedproductscreatedby itsskilledartisans.Thecounty'screativityalso forms an integral part of its heritage and culturalidentity,anditplaysasignificantrolein supportingthelocaleconomy.

Kenya Ramps Up Tourism Marketing in Berlin

Kenya ramped up its tourism marketing drive across different markets by making a comeback to various physical tourism exhibitions.

This March, Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza will be led 45 tourism travel trade partners drawn from hotels, tour operators and government agencies for B2B meetings at a three-day long exhibition in Germany.

The International Tourism Bourse (ITB) which held at the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds in Germany from March 7 to 9 was the first face–to–face ITB exhibition to be held after the Covid-19 pandemic Tourism CS said that the ITB exhibition served as a global tourism gateway and an opportunity for Kenya to capitalize and re-position her tourism products among global travellers ITB is an internationally renowned consumer exhibition for the fields of leisure tourism and holiday travel.

The fair returned as an in-person event for the first time since 2019 and is expected to draw over 160,000 visitors and will showcase more than 10,000 exhibitors from 180 countries

The tourism exhibition came barely a month after Kenya participated in a physical tourism business meeting at India’s Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai According to Tourism CS, besides the digital marketing that has proved cost-effective, physical presence through in-market activities also remains key in enhancing destination top of mind presence among visitors and potential travellers.

She said the Europe market, besides the US contribute to a larger market share in arrivals

Top five markets in the year 2022 as per the recently released tourism performance report include the United States with 209,360 visitors, Uganda (151,121), UK (131,526), Tanzania (123,836), India (83,106) and Germany with 53,498 visitors