The Kenyan Embassy and the Kenya Tourism Board organized a new weeklong training program in Seoul and Busan for about 80 tour operators from Feb. 3 to upgrade their skills on how to market Kenya as a tourist destination.

The training program was organized as a follow-up to the recent introduction of direct flights in June by Korean Air between Incheon International Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi.

The training session was conducted by travel industry experts from Korean Air and the Kenya Tourism Board. Select tour operators also won prizes.

Lee Su-jin, assistant manager of Seoul-based Very Good Leisure Company, and Lee Jung-min, office manager at Busan-based Line America Service, each won a round trip to Kenya courtesy of Korean Air.

“It gives me pleasure to be a part of a program whose objective is to enhance cooperation between Kenya and Korea in the tourism sector,” said Kenyan Ambassador to Korea Ngovi Kitau in his welcome remarks during a reception for the tour operators at Seoul Plaza Hotel, Feb. 6.

Some 9,400 Korean travelers visited Kenya in 2012 up 28 percent from the previous year. The number should increase still further as awareness of Kenya as a travel destination increases, Kitau said.

By Philip Iglauer (ephilip2011@heraldcorp.com)