By Shadrack Nyakoe
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary, Rebecca Miano, has outlined her ministry’s ambitious plans to significantly increase tourist arrivals to 5 million by 2027, up from the current figure of 2.086 million.
During a meeting with officials from the Kenya Tourism Federation and Kenya Tourists Guides, Miano emphasized that strategic partnerships with various industry players will be key to achieving this goal.
The expected increase in tourist numbers is also projected to boost revenue from the current Ksh 352 billion to approximately Ksh 824 billion annually.
Miano expressed her commitment to building synergies with the private sector to develop a unified approach in transforming Kenya’s tourism sector. Her vision is to position tourism as the leading contributor to foreign exchange earnings, job creation, and GDP growth in the country.
“As a Ministry, we applaud the private sector’s contribution and partnerships in hosting and participating in local and international events; marketing campaigns; policy advocacy; developing innovative tourism products; and market intelligence sharing,” Miano said.
Looking ahead, Miano revealed that the ministry is working on developing a National Tourism Strategy, with initiatives aimed at boosting domestic tourism as a priority.
One of the key strategies includes creating incentives for affordable travel and accommodation to encourage the growth of domestic tourism. The ministry is also planning to develop an annual calendar of tourism events to promote domestic tourism year-round, with the “Tembea Kenya” campaign set to be launched soon.
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Miano also highlighted the importance of leveraging the upcoming UN World Tourism Day on September 27, 2024, as a crucial opportunity to promote both domestic and international tourism.
The ministry has engaged various counties to bid for hosting the event, which will also be celebrated across all counties.
In addition to these initiatives, Miano stressed the need for collaboration with the private sector on digitizing the tourism sector and developing financing mechanisms to support its growth.
The ministry is committed to creating virtual tours and a Tourist App that will provide recommendations, information on attractions, and digitized guided tours, further enhancing the tourism experience in Kenya.