Tourism Ministry to release Sh5.2bn for recovery drive

The Sh5.2 billion that the National Treasury allocated to promote tourism will be released in a month as efforts to revive the sector gain momentum.

The money was pledged in the Budget presented in Parliament two weeks ago and will be used to lure tourists back into the country after travel advisories by some European nations drastically reduced the number of tourists visiting Kenya. Many of those advisories have since been removed or revised, raising hopes of a recovery.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie said the money will be used on a tourism recovery programme in both traditional and emerging markets, as well as locally.

“The government wants to woo international holidaymakers from the US, Asia, Germany, Italy, France and Africa countries back to Kenya,” Ms Kandie said during a Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) annual symposium at the Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort in Mombasa. “We will roll out aggressive marketing campaigns to win back the confidence of tourists from Western countries.”

Some of the emerging markets the campaign will target include China, India and countries from the Gulf such as the United Arab Emirates.

In Africa, campaigns will begin in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania.

Next week, the government will launch a local campaign to encourage more Kenyans to go on holiday.

“Our major aim is to ensure quick recovery of the sector so we can improve the economy and create jobs,” she said. “The lifting of the travel advisories by the UK and the world travel awards our attraction sites and hotels won recently will speed up the recovery.”

Other short term measures to boost the sector include a one-year global advertising campaign through CNN, targeting key European, American, Asian and African markets.

The government has also engaged a global public relations firm to counter negative publicity while portraying a positive image of Kenya. The tourism package will also be diversified by incorporating cultures, sports and conferencing.

Ms Kandie said the government was determined to address insecurity and threats posed by terrorism which formed the basis of the travel bans.

“The government increased funding to the Ministry of Interior to Sh212 billion to enable it secure the country,” she said. “The capacity of the Tourism Police Unit will also be enhanced to enable it secure tourism hotspots across the country.

While acknowledging that security remained a key concern, Ms Kandie said the Government was addressing it to hasten the recovery of the tourism sector.

She said the UK lifted its travel ban on Mombasa, Kilifi and Kwale because of the achievements the government had made in fighting insecurity at the Coast.

The Tourism Regulatory Authority has also embarked on re-classification of hotels, beginning with the Western circuit, to help improve facilities and services in the hospitality industry. This, Ms Kandie said, would ensure that the country’s tourist establishments meet international standards to attract high-end holidaymakers.

On training of hotel workers, the Cabinet Secretary said the Government had in the Budget for 2015/2016 allocated money for the construction of the Ronald Ngala Utalii College at Vipingo in Kilifi County. Once the project is completed, it will offer more training opportunities for hotel workers in a campaign to deliver quality service.

The Ministry of Tourism will also form new boards for the industry’s parastatals.

Earlier, KAHC national chairman Jaideep Vohra had recommended that Government negotiate with both charter and scheduled flight airlines to boost international tourist arrivals at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa, and the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.