Mixed reactions greet Sh7b budget to jumpstart tourism

Opinions remained sharply divided in Mombasa over the Government’s decision to allocate Sh7.1 billion to help jumpstart the ailing tourism industry, now on a downward trend. General Manager of Kenya Safari Lodges and Hotels Silas Kiti, welcomed the move, saying it was a sign that the Government was beginning to get serious on tourism . “We at least have something to do aggressive marketing now unlike before when Kenya Tourism Board would have little for marketing,” Kiti said.

He said they have been patient enough for long and keenly agitated for an increase in tourism marketing kitty for long. However, the Kenya Association of Hotel-keepers and Caterers Coast Branch Executive Officer Sam Ikwaye, said the figure allocated to tourism revival exercise is like a drop in the ocean. "It is an insult to the industry. As before, money has never been a problem. The Government knows by now what ails Kenyan tourism and ought to move with speed security once and for all," Ikwaye said. He observed that the allocation figure to tourism marketing campaigns should at least match up what tourism generates as revenue to the economy. ‘’What we require is direct huge investment as in our current state of affairs, we have lost out till 2018 when we expect to have fully regained recovery,’’ Ikwaye said. He said the Government has not been sincere to fully revive the industry despite its great potential of turning around the fortunes of the economy. Ikwaye pointed out that the new Tourism Act provided for the setting up of key parastatal and agencies that could rejuvenate tourism.

The new agencies include Tourism Regulatory Authority, Tourism Research Institute and the Tourism Protection Services. “They are there on paper but lack actual goodwill as funding to these agencies has not been effected and can thus not carry out their roles and mandates,’’ Ikwaye claimed.