Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has announced the upcoming launch of the “Tembea Kenya” campaign, aimed at boosting domestic tourism.
In her remarks, Miano urged private sector stakeholders to leverage their daily interactions with tourists and collaborate with the ministry to enhance Kenya’s tourism experience.
“My goal is to forge partnerships with the private sector to create a unified strategy that will elevate the tourism sector to be the leading contributor to foreign exchange earnings, job creation, and GDP growth,” Miano stated.
The campaign is part of a broader strategy to increase tourist arrivals to five million by 2027, up from the current 2.086 million, and to raise inbound revenue to Sh824 billion from Sh352 billion.
Miano shared these plans during a meeting with tourism stakeholders at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Wednesday.
She acknowledged the crucial role of the private sector in advancing tourism through local and international event hosting, marketing campaigns, policy advocacy, innovative tourism products, and market intelligence sharing.
In her 11-point agenda, Miano emphasized prioritizing incentives for affordable travel and accommodation to bolster domestic tourism.
The ministry is working on an annual tourism events calendar and plans to enhance collaborations to ensure continuous promotion of domestic tourism throughout the year. The launch of the Tembea Kenya campaign will be part of these efforts.
Miano assured stakeholders that she has noted their previous issues, recommendations, and suggestions, many of which are still being addressed.
Looking ahead, the ministry is committed to partnering with the private sector to foster a favorable environment for tourism transformation, focusing on areas such as data sharing, promotion, sustainability, safety, and joint international event bidding.
She also highlighted plans to celebrate UN World Tourism Day on September 27, 2024, as a strategic opportunity to promote both domestic and international tourism, with counties invited to bid for hosting the event.
Regarding tourist security, Miano stressed its importance for the industry’s growth and revealed plans to strengthen partnerships with various organizations, including the National Tourism Crisis Management Centre and the Tourist Police Unit, to enhance safety measures.
