Kenya's hopes rise after Treasury releases cash for tourism

Things are looking up for the tourism industry after the Government announced the release of Sh5.2 billion for the sector's recovery programme.

Yesterday, industry players were upbeat the sector that plunged to the lowest levels in the last two years following terror attacks in the country would recover quickly. More than 20 hotels in Malindi, Mombasa, Diani, Lamu and Watamu were closed as a result and over 30,000 hotel workers laid off.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie said the funds would be used to reposition the country as a leading tourist destination, as Kenya hopes to leverage on the planned visit by global dignitaries including US President Barack Obama to shore up the number of tourist arrivals.

"Everything is in place. The funds allocated for the recovery programme have already been released by the Treasury," Ms Kandie said, adding that such a large sum has never been given to the tourism sector before.

And on Coastal tourism fortunes, which have taken a strong beating, the CS said there is still a long way to go before full recovery is achieved.

"While the rest of the country, particularly Nairobi and the Masai Mara are recording increased hotel visits, we still have not reached the level we anticipate for our Kenyan Coast which boasts of world class beaches and star rated hotels," she said.

Kandie said they are working to ensure tourism traffic was directed to the Coast and for the first time, the prestigious Magical Kenya Travel Expo, organised by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) will be held in Diani, Kwale County.

Speaking during a live television show on KTN's Morning Express yesterday, the CS said some of the funds would be spent on recruitment of international celebrities to market the country abroad. She said the Government had also contracted a UK public Relations firm, Grayling PR, to mitigate effects of bad publicity that Kenya had suffered.

Tembea Kenya

"We have put pen to paper with CNN and hope the advertisement slots will sell our unmatched tourist attractions to America, Europe, Asia and Africa," she said.

Kandie said the recovery package will also entail marketing Kenya in emerging markets like China,India and United Arab Emirates.

Other efforts will be made to market the country in African countries like Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Ghana, she said. "The major effort will also be put in the 'tembea Kenya' (tour Kenya) programme in a bid to make sure that many Kenyans tour their country and we thank the hotels for coming up with friendlier packages for Kenyans," she said.

Bomas of Kenya will be expanded to be the biggest conference centre in Africa, she said, adding that the Ukunda Airstrip and Malindi Airport will also be expanded to handle big planes.

On charter flight rotations from key European source markets and which serve the Kenyan Coast mostly, Kandie said the numbers were still too few but hoped that more international charter flights will resume flights to Mombasa.

"German leisure airliner, Condor, which has maintained steady flights on the Mombasa route, is adding a third flight and hopefully others will follow suit," she said.

Speaking separately, Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort Hotels Group General Manager Lydia Dentewo welcomed the government's gesture saying: "We are confident that the industry will rebound and head to full recovery."