Ministry sets plan to revamp ailing tourism

What you need to know:

  • The ministry plans to ride on the development of various flagship projects revamp the ailing sector.
  • Tourism accounts for about 10 per cent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product.

The Ministry of Tourism plans to make Kenya one of the top 10 tourist destinations in the world.

The ministry plans to ride on the development of various flagship projects such as resort cities, use of common Visa for tourists to the East African region, product diversification as well as aggressive marketing of the country’s tourism products both internationally and locally to revamp the ailing sector.

Delivering a speech during the 17th Biennial conference for ambassadors and high commissioners at Leisure Lodge Beach and Golf Resort, in Kwale, on Thursday, Principal Secretary Ibrahim Mohamed said the measures are aimed at making Kenya and the region among the top 10 best destinations for holidaymakers globally.

“The objective is to make the region a top 10, long-haul tourist destination, offering a high-end, diverse, and distinctive visitor experience,” he said.

CHALLENGES

Mr Mohamed said the sector has faced challenges top among them travel advisories by US and some European countries.

“The industry also faces negative publicity due to insecurity and other negative stories on terrorism, social and economy. Security issues have been affecting key tourism zones such as Lamu and Mombasa,” he said.

Kenya’s tourism product of beach and safari needs refreshing, the PS noted.

“As a consequence of these factors, our country’s brand index is low. Kenya is ranked 8th in Africa in terms of strong and attractive destinations,” he said.

Tourism accounts for about 10 per cent of Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product and in 2012, the business generated Sh96 billion in revenue.

The consolidated figure of arrivals was 1,780,768 in 2012.

Since then, the sector has been experiencing a steady slide.

In 2013 for example, Kenya’s tourism generated Sh93.7 billion with 1.091 million accruing from international arrivals. The total arrivals stood at 1,519,600.

And last year, the industry recorded Sh87.08 billion in revenue, marking 7.3 per cent decline, while the international arrivals recorded were 861,000, representing a 21 per cent drop. The total consolidated visitor numbers stood at 1,465,627 last year.

Despite the challenges, “Kenya boasts of abundant wildlife spread in over 59 national parks and reserves and nine marine parks and reserves,” he said.