Kenyan tourism officials urged their African counterparts at an annual travel trade show this week in Durban to sell Kenyan travel in the wake of recent peaceful elections in Kenya.

Peaceful elections in March should endorse the safety of Kenyan travel and all Kenyan economic activities, said Kenyan Tourism Secretary Ruth Solitei, according to a report in All Africa.

More than 20 Kenyan travel companies attended the three-day Indaba travel show along with 15,000 exhibitors from around Africa, according to the report.

“The tourism sector depends much on the safety of a country,” Solitei said. “Kenya as a tourist destination can only do better thanks to the country’s repositioning with freshness and zeal soon after the peaceful general election held in March this year under a new constitutional dispensation.”

Tourism in Kenya fell by 2.3 percent in 2012, partly due to election uncertainties, according to the report. By comparison, South Africa saw 6.1 percent growth in 2012 and  Uganda had about 30 percent growth in tourism in 2012.

The Kenya Tourism Board is focusing on Africa, the region and the United Arab Emirates, Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa said in the report.

Kenya has unique and distinct tourism products for marketing and they are changing, Ndegwa said.

“Despite Kenya being known for beach and wildlife safaris, tourist preferences and tastes have changed dramatically with travelers becoming more adventurous and keen on sampling diversified tourism products,” Ndegwa said. “We will live up to their expectations.”