Regional authority promotes high-end cultural tourism

By Kipchumba Kemei

A regional authority has developed a Sh3.9 million small medium enterprise development plan to assist communities living around Maasai Mara National Park benefit from tourism.

The 10-year plan by Ewaso Nyiro South Development Authority aims at boosting tourism investment through increased bed occupancy, which could generate up to Sh3.1 billion annually.

The community-based tourism investment scheme also aims to increase occupancy outside protected areas by 70 per cent.

The project would also enable communities to earn Sh200 million annually in game viewing fees

The Authority’s managing director Charles Sunkuli said the plan will among other things promote high-end cultural tourism products, create new tourist circuit within and outside the reserve, and diversify tourism products through creation of new products.

Sunkuli said the project will develop standards, marketing of products and revenue collection, land use and planning environmentally sustainable projects.

"The plan will draft mechanisms of sharing benefits among the Mara communities and help in community capacity building in entrepreneurship, environmental conservation and product improvement and diversification," he said.

Double revenue

Sunkuli added: "The overall objective of the plan is to develop and promote small scale community tourism in order to double revenue streams through increased tourist flow and better standards."

It aims at creating 1, 000 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs within ten years, he said while unveiling the plan at the Authority headquarters in Narok.

He also said before the end of the current financial year, the Authority would have planted 190, 000 trees along the19 km Ewaso Nyiro River and its tributaries.

The Authority has in the last three years supported 30 schools to establish tree nurseries and also supported community groups around Maasai Mau forest.