Brussels
Kenya Embassy hosts Open Golf Tournament in Hasselt 18/08/2011
This year’s annual Kenya Open Golf Tournament in Belgium took place on 10 July 2011, at the Flanders Nippon Golf & Business Club in Hasselt. The event, organized by the Kenya Embassy in Belgium, was for the first time taking place outside its traditional venue, Overijse Golf Club, in a bid to break new ground of engagement and showcase Kenya to the Flemish business community, investors, tourists and golfers. About 150 golfers participated in the tournament, all eager to play their best to win prestigious prizes donated by different companies and organizations from Kenya and Belgium.
The following golfers were the lucky raffle ticket winners:
- Peter Vroonen: One-week golf safari in Kenya and air tickets for two, sponsored by WDR Travel Neckermann;
- Dimitri Jans: Air Tickets for two, Amsterdam-Nairobi-Amsterdam, donated by Kenya Airways;
- Ineke Van Den Berg: Air Tickets for two, Brussels-Nairobi-Brussels, donated by SN Brussels Airlines.
The weather for the day was good and tailored for a spectacular enjoyable golf day. The Kenya Embassy staff was at hand to serve legendary Kenyan tea and coffee to golfers at the end of the 9th hole, half way through the course. In addition to the beverages, golfers had the opportunity to sample Kenyan snacks, including mandazis and samosas, during the break. Golfers were also engaged by Kenya Embassy staff at the display tent who explained to them various holiday plans and investment opportunities available in Kenya. All golfers were given gift bags containing brochures, promotional materials and a booklet by the Kenya Embassy on “Investment Opportunities in Kenya”.
In the evening, the Embassy organized a cocktail for participants and also gave prizes to winners of the tournament. During the reception, H.E. the Ambassador, Mr. Kembi-Gitura, addressed the gathering and took the opportunity to congratulate winners and also to thank all the golfers who participated in the event. Amb. Kembi-Gitura also thanked the management of the Flanders Nippon Golf & Business Club for availing their facility to the Embassy to host the tournament. He pointed out that the purpose of the tournament was to strengthen ties between Kenya and Belgium, and more so within Flanders. The Ambassador further pointed out that Kenya has many business opportunities to offer, and invited participants to go through the ‘Investment Opportunities In Kenya” booklet that had been distributed to them. As for golfers, he urged them to consider Kenya as their next golf holiday destination, as it has first-class golf courses, which would be available to them particularly during the severe winter season in Europe. He ended by thanking all individuals and organizations, including Kenya Airways, SN Brussels, WDR Travel Neckermann, the Kenya Tourist Board, Brand Kenya and the Kenya Flower Council, that had partnered with the Embassy to sponsor the event.
The Ambassador capped the day by giving all ladies present a bouquet of fresh rose flowers that had been freighted direct from Kenya to Brussels by SN Brussels, courtesy of the Kenya Flower Council. He expressed the desire of the Embassy for Kenyan flowers to access the Belgian market direct from Nairobi instead of passing through the auction in Amsterdam.
