Tourism board targets one million tourists

By Stephen Makabila

Tourism stakeholders are upbeat the sector is on its path to recovery from the drawbacks of the 2008 post-election violence and last year’s global economic melt-down.

Kenya Tourism Board chairman Jake Grieves-Cook has said the sector, which was at its high by close of 2007, is regaining and now targets a million international arrivals this year.

"We had a 30 per cent drop in tourist visits in 2008 as compared to 2007 but we have been regaining from last year and we target a million foreign tourists this year," he said.

Grieves-Cook was speaking at the Standard Group Centre, Mombasa Road, when he paid the group Managing Director Paul Wanyagah a courtesy on Friday.

Standard Group MD Paul Wanyagah (right) with KTB chairman Jake Grieves-Cook at the group’s offices in Nairobi. Photo: Collins Kweyu/Standard

The new KTB Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa accompanied him. Standard Group’s Assistant Commercial Director Lawrence Njiru was also present.

Mr Wanyagah underscored the role of tourism in economic development, noting The Standard Group is ready to continue supporting KTB in marketing Kenya as a leading tourist destination.

Media support

"The Standard Group has always been supportive of the tourism sector. In 2008 during the tourism week, we dedicated a lot of space and air-time to support the sector because we know it is crucial to economic development," he said.

Wanyagah urged KTB to explore new ways of exploiting opportunities this decade.

Jake appreciated the media house’s support, noting KTB would continue working with it to improve Kenya’s tourism image.

"The world is a global village and what The Standard Group and the media in general produce is for the global audience," said Jake.

He said tourism stagnated between 2005 and 2007 when it picked-up with a record million international arrivals, only for it to be held back by the 2008 violence and later the global economic crunch.

Ndegwa said, "We had 729,000 visitors in 2008, some 952,000 visitors in 2009 and we are targeting the million mark we achieved in 2007 this year."

He said KTB’s strategy is to promote product diversification and domestic tourism promotion.

Jake and Ndegwa called for improvement of infrastructural development in the western-Kenya tourism circuit, to enable KTB market the region.

He said though the western circuit has attractions such as Lake Victoria, the road network inhibits tourists.

Meanwhile, tourism facilities in the Masai Mara and the Amboseli ecosystems operating without licences from respective Government agencies have been put on notice. The move aims at stopping unregulated developments in the ecosystems.

Threat to ecosystems

"Despite previous warnings to stop further developments in the two ecosystems, tourist facilities are still coming up and operating in violation of Government regulations," said Tourism Minister Najib Balala.

He said if unchecked, the practice would threaten ecosystems.

Balala spoke on Friday when he met members of the taskforce on Sustainable Tourism Development for Masai Mara and Amboseli Ecosystems, which he commissioned last year to give guidance on how tourism development can be managed sustainably in the facilities.

He said consultations were going on with line ministries for a joint action on all non-compliant tourist establishments in the two facilities. This will also inform on the action to take on compliant establishments but occupying sensitive locations such as wildlife breeding areas.

During the meeting held to brief the minister on the findings of the taskforce prior to setting dates for official handing over, the team said uncontrolled developments in the Mara and Amboseli have impacted negatively on the ecosystem.