- Secondly, Miano noted that she will address the issue of the classification of hospitality facilities to ensure that Kenya aligns with global best practices.
- Miano will also take a keener look at the security of tourists in concert with other organs of government in the spirit of One Government Approach.
Image: FILE
As she took over office on Wednesday, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano outlined seven key areas that she will focus on.
Speaking at the Ministry Headquarters at the NSSF House, Miano reiterated her promise to lead in the operationalisation of the Ronald Ngala Utalii College.
This, she said, is to unleash the college's capacity to provide world-class training for the hospitality and tourism sector.
"I promised as much during my vetting in Parliament recently - I will do so," she vowed.
During her vetting, Miano said the multi-billion college will be completed by October amid ongoing investigations over corruption allegations.
The college sits on 59 acres of land in Vipingo, Kilifi County, and began construction in 2010 but has since faced challenges that have delayed its completion for over 14 years.
"I am glad that eventually the college will become operational and offer the very much-needed training after many years. I will follow, in case I am approved, to ensure that the timelines are adhered to because I've seen a report giving those timelines," she said then.
Secondly, Miano noted that she will address the issue of the classification of hospitality facilities to ensure that Kenya aligns with global best practices.
The CS also stated that she will seek ways of entrenching a domestic tourism culture in a move aimed at disabusing the notion that tourism is for foreigners.
In this, Miano said she will work with key sector players.
"I will encourage 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 our diverse attractions," she said.
Additionally, Miano said she will make ways for thoughtful consultations in tweaking the National Tourism Policy to serve emerging trends given the ever-changing tastes of tourists.
The policy was approved in 2010.
Miano will also take a keener look at the security of tourists in concert with other organs of government in the spirit of the One-Government Approach.
Finally, the CS stated that she will seek broad consensus with significant others in the sector to ensure that the spirit of the Bottom-up Economic Model is upheld.
This, she said, will be done in a manner that distributes benefits accruing from tourism and wildlife conservation more evenly throughout Kenya as she consults with sector players on ways of reducing human-wildlife conflicts.