Diversify tourism products, President Uhuru Kenyatta urges investors

President Uhuru Kenyatta meets Qatar Minister of Energy, Mohamed Saleh Al Sada who called on him at his residential hotel in Doha. Photo/PSCU

What you need to know:

  • He said focus should shift from concentration on traditional tourism products – among them beach and safari tours – to conference tourism.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged stakeholders in the tourism industry to diversify their products so as to broaden their client base.

He said focus should shift from concentration on traditional tourism products – among them beach and safari tours – to conference tourism.

“To reap maximum benefits from our tourism potential, stakeholders in the tourism sector must diversify their products,” President Kenyatta said.

The President spoke during a meeting on Tuesday in Doha with Katara Hospitality Chief Operating Officer, Mr Christopher Knable. Katara Hospitality is a leading hotel owner, developer and operator in Qatar.

President Kenyatta said the implementation of devolution has provided an opportunity to investors in the tourism industry to put up conference facilities at the county level.

As efforts are made to set up new establishments, the president encouraged joint ventures between Kenyan and Qatari investors in the upgrading of existing hotels to cater for conferences and conventions.

Briefing the President on Katara Hospitality’s ventures, Mr Knable said the company is ready to share its broad experience in the tourism industry with Kenyan companies.

He expressed the company’s interest in scaling up its investments in Kenya, adding that investment in conference facilities would be given priority.

Currently, Katara Hospitality owns and manages more than 5,000 four and five-star hotel rooms in Qatar, Europe, Africa and the Far East.

At another meeting, President Kenyatta held talks with Qatar Mining Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Al Shahwani, and discussed the company’s interest in Kenya’s mining sector.

The President noted that Qatar Mining had already begun work, and had identified commercially viable gold deposits in Migori, Trans-Mara and Turkana.

“They are also ready to partner with the Government of Kenya and the private sector in mining ventures,” President Kenyatta said.

Noting that Qatar Mining was interested in other mining opportunities in Kenya, including iron ore and bauxite, President Kenyatta encouraged the company to engage directly with Kenya’s Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala who was present at the meeting.

The President emphasised that mining is one of the key sectors in the government’s efforts to propel Kenya into middle-income status.

“We also realize that the private sector is a key partner in the growth and development of the Kenyan economy. Accordingly, we would be happy to welcome Qatar Mining and other Qatari investors and companies,” the President said.

The meeting was also attended by Cabinet Secretaries Amb. Amina Mohamed of Foreign Affairs, Davis Chirchir of Energy, Adan Mohamed of Industrialisation and Enterprise and Eng. Michael Kamau of Transport and Infrastructure.