By Fredrick Obura

The Government’s effort to create an enabling environment and increase its marketing allocation to the tourism industry has yielded success.

Tourism was among the few industries that realised growth in 2011, a year that saw decline in performance of many sectors in the economy.

The industry, despite numerous travel advisories from traditional source market such as Europe on security grounds, recorded growth in number of visitors.

“In our review period, the tourism sector continued with good performance despite various challenges, diversification of market from traditional sources among other factors has helped the sector,” said Planning Minister Wycliffe Oparanya.

earnings

Last year, earnings from the sector rose to Sh97.9 billion up from Sh73.7 billion in 2010. International visitors arrivals increased by 13.3 per cent.

Business conference, a new area the Ministry of Tourism recently embarked on marketing, also witnessed growth. The effort saw the number of local conferences grow by 18.4 per cent compared to 21.7 per cent growth in international conferences.

The Economic Survey 2012 released on Monday by the Planning ministry also showed an increase in bed-night occupancy.

Speaking during the official opening of a five-day Magical Kenya tourism exhibition in Nairobi earlier in the year, then Minister for Tourism Najib Balala  said the ministry had set aside over Sh60 million to promote tourism in Tanzania, Uganda and other destinations such as South Africa.

musical show

Another Sh8.7 million would be spent on a musical theatre show campaign in four countries in Europe.

Permanent Secretary Leah Gwiyo said Kenya is currently in the process of diversifying its tourism product, adding that offering the production was therefore crucial.

She said the ministry had launched a Sh8.7 million musical theatre show scripted to showcase the cultural beauty of Kenya, and promote the country as a tourist destination.

The 90-minute show will be staged in Netherlands, Luxemburg, Belgium and Denmark starting September this year and will run till December.