By PETER ORENGO
Kenya plans to diversify marketing of its tourist attractions to take advantage of its vast riches in wildlife.
Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) announced on Thursday strategies to diversify their operations in line with environmental conservation.
The KTB Director Muriithi Ndegwa said apart from marketing the country as a beach and parks destination, it would promote cultural, sports, conferencing, and health tourism, among others.
Said Ndegwa: "Time is right for us to diversify instead of concentrating our visitors to the beaches and our national parks."
He said apart from promoting the underused parks and conservancies KTB, will venture into sport tourism, in which tourists could play golf, participate in athletic or rugby.
As a product destination, Ndegwa said northern Kenya would be promoted as the cradle of mankind and for adventure tourism.
He said Kenya being the economic hub in the region would welcome its neighbours to use its health facilities, just like in India.
"India made a name for its health experts and facilities. It is time for our neighbours to come to our country for expert treatment. We have the experts and facilities just for that," said Ndegwa.
He asked the Government and private sector to invest more in conferencing facilities and eco-tourism to attract more visitors.
KWS Director Julius Kipng’etich said the organisation plans to register more than 50 conservancies to be run by local communities.
"The new Constitution has come with counties. These areas are have unique resources the local people can turn into tourist destinations," he said.
