•Miano has promises to lead consultations in revamping the National Tourism Policy to serve emerging trends.
•Earnings are expected to hit Sh359.1 billion this year and then Sh396.1 billion next year.
Image: PCS
Newly appointed Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has pledged to fast-track strategies aimed at unlocking the potential of Kenya’s tourism sector.
Speaking on Wednesday during the official handover ceremony at the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife headquarters in Nairobi, Miano said she will lead consultations in revamping the National Tourism Policy to serve emerging trends.
This, given the ever-changing tastes of tourists citing that the sector holds significant promise in boosting the country’s economic growth.
"I am taking over the helm of this critical sector at a time when the focus is firmly on economic transformation and job creation,” CS Miano said.
Her priority, she said, will be to accelerate the growth of tourism earnings to support the government's development agenda.
"I will seek broad consensus with key stakeholders in the sector to ensure that the spirit of the Bottom-up Economic Model is upheld in a manner that distributes benefits accruing from tourism and wildlife conservation more evenly throughout Kenya, as I consult with sector players on ways of reducing human-wildlife conflicts” She added.
The CS was categorical on the need to enhance product diversification that caters to modern tastes and boosts the country’s competitive edge.
She affirmed that the Ministry will work closely with all stakeholders to unlock the sector's immense potential for both domestic and international tourism.
“In collaboration with key sector players, I will seek ways of entrenching a domestic tourism culture as we disabuse the notion that tourism is for visitors from without," Miano said.
The former investment, trade and industry CS is also keen to drive the use of modern information technology to rally the travel industry to not only shore up tourist numbers, but also create also memorable experiences of the country's diverse attractions.
Tourism is the third largest source of foreign exchange for Kenya, with earnings reaching Sh352.6 billion in 2023, compared to Sh268.1 billion the previous year, a 31.5 per cent increase.
Half-year international arrivals for 2024 totalled 1,027, 630, data by the Tourism Research Institute (TRI) shows, compared to 847, 719 in the same period in 2023.
Even so, tourism sector earnings during the period dropped 7.1 per cent to Sh142.5 billion, compared to Sh153.4 billion recorded last year.
The Tourism Ministry through the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), is collaborating with county governments to develop niche tourism circuits, which Miano said will be a game-changer for the sector.
" There is need to re tool wildlife conservation in order to respond to current issues like climate change, Kenya is custodian to diverse wildlife heritage as well as flora and fauna that we must take care of," she said.
She plans to ensure synergy between national and county governments, as well as creating an enabling environment for investment in tourism across the country.
"My door is open for all sector players as we seek partnerships that will be beneficial to the sector," added Miano.
Former CS Alfred Mutua who has moved to Labour and Social Protection said: "I am confident that CS Miano will build upon the momentum, especially through the collaborations with counties, to drive tourism revenue growth. I wish her success in steering Kenya's tourism sector to new heights."
Kenya plans to more than double international tourist arrival in the next five years, as the industry moves towards full recovery in post- pandemic era.
Kenya Tourism Board is seeking to grow arrivals into the country to 5.5 million by 2028, in an ambitious plan that involves the private sector.
On human-wildlife conflict, CS Miano has committed to find sustainable solutions, noting that she will work closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service and other agencies, to ensure proper mechanisms for compensation and conservation are in place.