Full tray as new tourism task force heads to Mombasa

More work awaits the newly gazetted Task Force on Tourism Recovery as it meets key industry stakeholders at the Coast this week. Top on the agenda will be how to fix the runaway insecurity in the Coast region, which accounts for over 60 per cent of all international tourism arrivals,and restore confidence among tourists.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch chief executive Sam Ikwaye, while welcoming the engagement of the task force headed by former Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort & Spa General Manager Lucy Karume, said the problems facing the tourism sector are known.

Ms Karume confirmed the task force will be moving to Mombasa this week. "We still have key players who have grown up with the problems affecting tourism, following failure by subsequent regimes to tackle them head-on. We still have ideas as stakeholders but the Government remains the bigger stakeholder in tourism,'' Ikwaye said. "If they understand the value of tourism, they will come up with recovery strategies to help resuscitate the ailing industry."

Ikwaye said the industry is optimistic that the strategies mooted will be attainable and that the task force's work will not be politicised. Cabinet Secretary for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism Phyllis Kandie, in a special gazette notice  dated June 24, 2014, named members of the task force who will advise the Government on the recovery of the tourism sector.

They include Kenya Tourism Board Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa, Robert Marini, Jaideep Vohra (managing director,Sarova Group of Hotels and KAHC national chairman) Taita Taveta Governor John Mruttua Mruttu and Lawyers Cecil Miller and Donald Kipkorir. Others are Adam Jillo, Coast hotelier Chris Modigell, Philemon Mwavala, Equity Bank Chief Operating Officer Dr Julius Kipngetich, Jostine Machuma Barmao, Kenya Wildlife Service acting Director General William Kibet Kiprono, Kenya Airways Marketing Director Chris Diaz, Alice Mwololo, Nicholas Bondo, Kaplich Barsito and Mary Luseka. The committee will identify key challenges affecting the sector and come up with an immediate recovery strategy. This includes developing  a strategy to address underlying challenges and position Kenya as a preferred destination for safari, beach, commercial, sports, education, health and conferencing destination.

The task force will also promote inclusiveness amongst stakeholders in resolving issues facing the sector as well as develop an integrated communication campaign. "The committee will lobby and work with stakeholders to re-position tourism as a major contributor to the economy.It will also work closely with industry stakeholders to incorporate resilience into the tourism plan," Kandie said.

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