By Macharia Kamau

Nairobi,Kenya:Blame game : Although more circuits would reduce traffic to the Mara, investors want extra incentives and a clear plan before capital injection

The opening up of new tourism frontiers is proving tougher than initially anticipated as hoteliers shy away from putting up new tourist facilities.

 Most industry players are wary of sinking money into hotels and other tourist facilities in areas unlikely to give them early returns on investment.

The areas also need intensive marketing to make tourists aware of the destinations.

Players noted that basics such as infrastructure and security and have to be in place for them to invest and grow tourist traffic.

The government has in the recent past been drumming up investments to areas that are home to major attractions, rich in history and even Kenya’s cultural heritage.

Adventure spots

These include Turkana — renowned for the archaeological finds including the world famous Turkana Boy, a nearly complete skeleton of an eight boy that dated 1.6 million years.

Despite the rich history and scenic views, annual visitors to Northern Kenya only add to few thousands. A recent drive to increase numbers in such areas might not bear fruit, not even in the near future.

Popularising new tourism circuits that also include the Rift Valley, Western Kenya and Mt Kenya is meant to attract more tourists and in turn shore up revenues.

They could also ease tourist traffic in local destinations that are currently popular but appear stretched by the numbers they get.

These include the Masai Mara where the number of visitors and tourist facilities are becoming unsustainable.

The cold shoulder to these tourism circuits is despite an increase in the number of local and global investors investing in major hotels in the country.

 Nairobi and areas traditionally regarded as tourist destinations, such as the Coast and the Masai Mara, have in the recent past seen major brands set up shop, with more said to be scouting for opportunities.

“Turkana is a beautiful destination but at the moment, it has to be marketed as a destination to drive up the number of tourists going to the area,” said Alastair Addison chief executive Hemingways Collection, a local hotel chain.

Lucrative market

Addison said there  is need to invest in infrastructure as well as ensure the region is secure.  “It is beautiful but will take time before tourists get to know  and visit the region.”

“ For a hotelier to invest $3-4 million (Sh253 million to Sh336 million) in a property would be a huge gamble in some of the regions... the conditions there is need to have it favour the investors.” He added that the tourism ministry should intensify the marketing efforts for tourism circuits that are yet to realise their potential.

Currently, majority of the tourists visit the Mara. Addison noted that developing other circuits would reduce traffic to the Mara which is getting to unsustainable levels.

“Opening up more destinations would mean more tourist numbers for Kenya and in turn more revenues from the industry,” he said.

“It will as well atake off the load that is currently carried by the Mara... currently more than 60 per cent of the tourists visiting Kenya want to visit the Mara.” Mike Macharia, chief executive, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers said the ministry needed to develop a master plan to guide investors planning to invest in the unexplored tourism circuits.

decentralised marketing

He also noted that the tourism parent ministry should entrench counties in their strategies to market the country to tourist as well as investors to the country.

“There needs to be a masterplan that would guide investors on areas earmarked for development. Investors will not pick an area in an arbitrary manner and start developing it,” he observed.

“At the moment, areas that have been earmarked for development by the national blueprint, Vision 2030 include Isiolo, Kilifi and Diani. Investors should look at such areas.”

“Investors should hold on, look at the policies... the Ministry is currently developing a national tourism strategy, which they should also consider before going out to invest.”

He noted that even in a situation where the State was to give incentives to the industry, there is also need for a blueprint to aid in putting up facilities in the new tourism circuits.

“There are a few incentives in place currently but without a master plan, an investor can put up a hotel but end up getting little or no traffic,” he said.

There have been efforts to popularise unexplored destinations, with such annual festivities like the Maralal Camel Derby and the Lake Turkana Festival.

These have however remained seasonal with unreliable number of visitors.