- Malonza said the World Tourism Day celebrations will be in Embu County from September 21 to 27.
- These celebrations will see the Tourism ministry partner with county governments to unveil and market hidden gems.
Image: NCCG
United Nations-World Tourism Day preparations are underway with this year’s annual celebrations set to be held on Wednesday, September 27 in Embu County.
These celebrations will see the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife, and Heritage partner with county governments to unveil and market hidden gems unique to them and push for Kenya’s sustainable tourism practices.
Tourism Cabinet secretary Peninah Malonza while announcing that Embu County would play host to the 2023 World Tourism Day national celebrations, said counties have a big role to play in product development as well as enhancing opportunities for tourism business to thrive.
Other World Tourism Day celebrations are hosted by respective countries.
“This year the world will be hosting the World Tourism Day under the global theme of Tourism and Green Investment. Against the backdrop of the just concluded Africa Climate Summit, our goal is to promote sustainable practices and to provide opportunities for investment in the sector,” CS Malonza said.
“We shall be celebrating the 2023 World Tourism Day in Embu county between September 21 to 27 as part of the global event to be held on September 27 to 28 in Riyadh Saudi Arabia,” she added.
Additionally, the CS added that:
“World Tourism Day is an occasion for us to celebrate our successes and address challenges as we continue to implement our development agenda for a holistic tourism recovery that integrates environmental conservation.”
Maloza said the ministry will promote tourism within counties and work with devolved units to showcase sustainable practices as well as the tourism opportunities within them.
Kenya Tourism Board acting Chief Executive Officer John Chirchir said the board looks forward to using the platform to promote domestic travel and enhance awareness of the unique destinations and experiences available in the counties
“We are thrilled about hosting the World Tourism Day Celebrations in Embu, which is known for its vibrant culture and numerous attractions that include the iconic Mount Kenya,” Chirchir said.
“This year’s theme encourages us to focus on the power of tourism as a driver for green investment by all stakeholders and we have lined up a series of events that will highlight this,” he added.
World Tourism Day (WTD) is an annual event celebrated on September 27, around the world.
The 2023 World Tourism Day celebration comes after the recent Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi where several heads of states and delegates called for increased investments in sustainable tourism as a key driver towards achieving green growth and development objectives.
Last year, Kenya was among eight countries picked by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its COVID-19 crisis response programme aimed at supporting tourism recovery around World Heritage Sites.