The government plans to introduce special packages for accommodation and entry into game parks and reserves in a bid to promote domestic tourism.
The initiative targets groups from schools, chamas, cooperatives, and Community Based Organisations (CBOs).
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano stated that the new packages will offer incentives and discounted rates to attract more Kenyans to visit the wildlife parks and reserves.
“I root for special packages on accommodation and entry into game parks and reserves,” she said.
Miano made the remarks when she held talks with different stakeholders on how best to promote local tourism.
She pointed out that through such initiatives, the groups will help turn the experience into a learning opportunity on matters conservation.
As of 2023, over 1.9 million international visitors arrived into the country.
According to the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), Kenya targets to double international tourist arrivals to three million by the end of this year.
By making these experiences more affordable and appealing, the government hopes to increase local tourism participation and support the recovery of the tourism sector.
Previous attempts to involve the private sector appeared not to have yielded the expected returns.
According to the Tourism Sector Performance Report 2022, Kenyan citizens accounted for 1,660,169 of the total 2,179,125 National park visits, compared to 690,360 visits out of the total 91, 3052.
In 2023, earnings from international arrivals in Kenya amounted to Sh352.5 billion.
This represented an increase of around 32 percent as compared to the previous year.
