NAIROBI, July 5 (Xinhua) -- Kenya will leverage the untapped African market to boost tourist arrivals and hasten the sector's recovery after a slump caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, an official has said.

Wausi Walya, Corporate Affairs Manager at Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) said that marketing of the country as an attractive destination for visitors from the continent has intensified, buoyed by the easing of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

"There are immense potential in both the regional and the African market which we are trying to capture through various platforms," Walya said Sunday evening during a meeting with tour operators from Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia in the coastal city of Mombasa.

She said Kenya will be organizing trips for African tour operators to familiarize them with scenic attractions in the country including coastal beaches, wildlife sanctuaries and archaeological sites.

According to Walya, Kenya considers the African tourism market as strategic with Uganda leading in the number of visitors to the country.

Walya said that Kenya has witnessed a gradual spike in the number of tourist arrivals from the region thanks to aggressive marketing and the easing of red tape at border posts. - Xinhua