Over the years, East African countries especially Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have attracted thousands of tourists.

Sporadic adverse events like piracy, warfare, election violence and acts of terrorism have done little to stop the inflow of tourists and travellers to the region.

Today, the global focus on the continent favours the tourism sector even more. What is more, there is an aggressive campaign to open up new markets like Asia and the Far East.

The East African Community has embarked on a strategy to promote the region as a single tourist destination.

This shift is leading to the harmonisation of hospitality and tourism services, policies and laws.

Ultimately, this will unite East Africa’s often fragmented tourism sectors and double the region’s number of international arrivals from the current five million to 10 million in 10 years, according to experts.

Recently, the chief executive of Kenya Tourism Board Ndegwa Muriithi, stated that the country’s reliance on beaches and wildlife to attract tourists must be supplemented by new products and services.

Indeed, once tourists have been to Kenya and visited the national parks, the Rift Valley and Mt Kenya, they will have seen more or less of what East Africa offers. After that, they may wish to visit other exciting tourism spots to get value for their money.

Diversification of tourism will be the key to protecting the industry in the future. This means developing more products and services to supplement the existing ones.

It means introducing new attractions and products that embrace the evolving needs of travellers and visitors by combining variety, quantity and quality.

Some countries in the region have already embarked on marketing and promoting non-traditional services and products to attract more visitors.

At the last World Travel Market Tourism and Trade Fair held in London in November 2012, East African participants unveiled the new products and services for prospective visitors.

These include medical, sports, educational, rural, agricultural, culinary, meeting incentives conferencing and exhibitions.

Development of domestic tourism through community awareness is being strongly advocated not only to boost the sector but also to dispel the perception that tourism is an exclusive preserve of foreigners.

Rwanda Development Board has been pro-active in diversifying tourism by introducing hiking along the 227-kilometre Congo Nile Trail, Canopy tourism in Nyungwe National Park, the first of its kind in East Africa.

The opening of the new Marriot Hotel and Conference Centre in Kigali and soon Sheraton and Hilton properties in Nyarutarama promise to promote conference tourism.

This same prospect applies to Burundi, with the construction of the four-star Doubletree hotel by Hilton Group in Bujumbura. Burundi also offers many sporting activities, such as water skiing, sailing, fishing, swimming along Lake Tanganyika.

With over 10 national parks, Uganda is looking beyond gorilla tourism. Diversification efforts range from privately owned cultural museum, Igongo Centre near Mbarara, to world class conference facilities in the country.

Uganda has become a hub for adventure sports and white water rafting. The country also offers bungee jumping, kayaking, mountain biking, off-road driving, motor biking, and international triathlons.

Medical and faith-based tourism are also taking root while efforts are under way to develop marine tourism.

Lastly, the relationship between tourism and gastronomy cannot be ignored.

According to the International Culinary Tourism Association, tourists are increasingly rejecting the industrial model of low-cost mass production of food, searching out local, fresh and good quality cuisine that reflects the authenticity of the destination.

While local food holds much potential to enhance sustainability in tourism, establishment of specialised cuisine like Thai, Chinese, French, Japanese must be encouraged to cater for different tastes.

The idea here is to maintain the local culinary dishes while accommodating global tastes as well.

As Dr Ian Yeoman of Victoria University of Wellington, Australia put it, longevity is a key trend associated with the future of tourism. Tourists will search for experiences that hold back the wrinkles of old age, whether it is a spa treatment in Kenya or a medical procedure in Uganda.

This is the new face of sustainable hospitality and tourism that must be enhanced by visionary leadership and world-class marketing.

Isaac Sebakijje is a hotelier and tourism professional. Email: [email protected]