Wildlife and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza has said she wants to focus more on domestic and regional tourism as the ministry plans to build more Meeting Incentives Conventions and Exhibition Centres (MICE) in her efforts to face-lift the sector.
During the release of 2022 Tourism Performance Report, CS Malonza said though the industry has been moving in an upward trajectory since the Covid-19 pandemic, it is yet to get back to where it was in 2019 as she observed that the MICE sector has shown improvement over the last year.
“The MICE sector has accounted for 27.2 per cent of the total arrival of tourists in the country compared to 13.5 per cent in 2019…. going forward, we are going to focus more on domestic and regional tourism promotions,” she said.
She added that majority of international tourists coming in the country last year were from the United States of America representing 16 per cent of the total international tourists followed at a distant by Uganda.
“Out of the 30 source markets, the US took the top position recording an inflow of 209,360 tourists contributing to 16 per cent of the total arrivals…. Uganda let in the country 151,121 visitors representing 12 per cent of total international tourists.” Malonza noted.
According to the report, the United Kingdom came third with 131,526 representing 10 per cent followed closely by Tanzania at the fourth sport with 123,836, followed by India in fifth position with a total of 83,106 tourists while Germany brought in 53,498 international tourists coming in last year.
Another 48,232 tourists came from Rwanda, 40,133 (Somalia), 36,581(Ethiopia) and another 35,760 from South Sudan.
The CS said more tourists from African countries have been visiting Kenya hence plans are underway by the ministry plans to diversify the tourism products the country has to offer and build a new convention Centre in Nairobi through Public Private Partnerships.
The CS reiterated that the ministry will develop and diversify products in the areas of fruits, eco-tourism, sports, adventure tourism and gastronomy as she said that even though gastronomy has not been explored as much in the country, other countries are reaping big from the sector.
“Gastronomy is not Greek that people should fear as it simply touches on the local foods and cuisines the country has to offer… In these performing countries, gastronomy is the in thing,” observed Malonza.
The ministry also promised to work closely with all the 47 counties in the country, she said the ministry also plans to work on agri-tourism and agrotourism as it strives to explore the good Kenyan food since it is an area the country thrives best.
“The ministry will work in agriculture sectors in tea plantations, and coffee plantations to ensure as they move to revamp tourism,” stated the CS.