DP William Ruto sees Kenya’s tourism potential in marketing

Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala presents rose flowers to tourists disembarking frMs Seven Seas Voyager, that arrived at the Port of Mombasa on Saturday. [PHOTO: MAARUFU MOHAMED/STANDARD]

NAIROBI, KENYA; Deputy President William Ruto has asked the tourism sector to review its marketing strategy as part of the efforts to attract more tourists into the country.

He said there was need to make a decisive and strategic change in direction to ensure that the country’s tourism unlocks its maximum potential.

Mr Ruto said Kenya could triple earnings from tourism if the right marketing strategy, which is the persuasive element, was used to promote the sector by reaching out to the potential tourists.

“I want to challenge the ministry and the Kenya Tourism Board to pay attention to marketing in particular because that is the persuasive element of the strategy,” said Mr Ruto.

He added: “It is marketing that will get us our rightful consideration among potential tourists and help us realize our rightful numbers.”

Speaking during the launch of the National Tourism Blueprint 2030 and the National Wildlife Strategy 2030, on Tuesday evening, in Nairobi, the Deputy President said Kenya’s rich biodiversity forms the base of the country’s global competitiveness as a tourism destination.

He said the country’s tourism earnings registered double digit growth last year to hit Sh 120billion, representing a 20 per cent rise from the year before (2016).

Mr Ruto said international arrivals grew by 9.8 per cent outpacing the global average of seven per cent as reported in the World Tourism Report published by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.

“However, we cannot celebrate these numbers. We have room for growth and we expect this ministry to deliver year on year. Last year, we had 1.47 million visitors, this year we need to surpass that number,” said Mr Ruto.

US Ambassadors Godec assured Kenya of his countrys support in the development of the tourism sector, which greatly contributes to the country’s GDP.