The Mombasa government has set aside Sh25 million for the annual Mombasa International Cultural Festival in the third week of August.
The festival will run for 10 days. Last year’s was held for four days.
This year, there will be more activities and more participants.
“We intend to spend at most Sh25 million. We hope there will be sponsors who will chip in. We are working on that,” Rabia Salim said on Wednesday.
She is the MICF chairperson.
The festival will be held at the Mama Ngina Drive and will market the Coast as a whole.
“This year, we will involve the Jumuiya ya Kaunti Za Pwani and other counties [not from the Coast],” Salim said.
Already, Turkana, Kisumu and counties in Central have expressed interest in participating in the festival, where they will showcase their cultures, cuisines and market their destinations.
Tourism executive Joab Tumbo said US President Barack Obama’s visit to Kenya will influence a higher number of visitors and investors this year.
Salim said Obama’s visit and his positive remarks about Kenya will influence tourist confidence in the country.
Germany, Ireland and Far East countries like Japan have been invited.