Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has announced plans to transform the Bomas of Kenya into an ultra-modern facility.
Speaking on Wednesday, as Bomas marked its 50th anniversary, Balala said the infrastructural improvement programme will transform the facility into a modern Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE).
"We are in talks with the National Treasury with a view to finding ways of supporting Bomas of Kenya to become a modern MICE facility to boost cultural and business tourism," he said.
The CS directed the Board and Management of Bomas of Kenya to find new, innovative ways of integrating cultural tourism and business tourism to be able to appeal to a wider market.
"As you do this, try and make our culture more attractive to our young people," he said.
He called on Kenyan youth to appreciate African culture as much as they appreciate modernity.
The Bomas of Kenya modernisation programme includes strengthening the institution’s authority on cultural preservation and tourism development.
It is also geared towards addressing the challenges the tourism sector has faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as focusing on marketing existing products and services and strengthening the Bomas brand.
Bomas of Kenya CEO Peter Gitaa noted that there is an urgent need to invest in cultural tourism as a country, as culture is a unique selling point in modern global tourism.
He also appealed for support from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife as they move towards modernising the facility.
"We are now re-positioning ourselves to take off after 50 years of existence by injecting new impetus in the hospitality and tourism sectors,” he said.
The celebrations culminate in the launch of an ultra-modern cultural and conference facility dubbed Baraza Hall which has a seating capacity of 950 delegates.
Edited by D Tarus