Government unveils a new era of community driven tourism innovation

Tourism and Wildlife CS Rebecca Miano (third right), Laikipia Artist Lentir Maso, Laikipia North MP Sarah Lekorere and Susan Nookisho during Lkereti album launch in Laikipia County, on December 7, 2025. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife on Sunday announced a groundbreaking shift in Kenya's Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) landscape by integrating cultural tourism into MICE programming, an approach that positions communities at the heart of Kenya's tourism economy.

Speaking in Laikipia county during the Umoja Laikipia Cultural Unity Festival and the Olkereti Album Launch by celebrated Maa performers, ahead of the Jamhuri Thematic Week, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano affirmed the government's commitment to making MICE more inclusive, culturally grounded, and community driven.

This new direction is anchored in the MICE Mashinani initiative designed to decentralise MICE activities, strengthen local capacity, and enhance public awareness of the sector's economic value. The initiative leverages among other projects, involvement of cultural ambassadors to spotlight Kenya's youth creativity, heritage preservation, and tourism led development, positioning culture as a catalytic force in the growth of the MICE industry.

"We are demystifying MICE by taking it back to the people, into our communities, our cultural spaces, and our creative environments. Kenya's culture is a global asset, and integrating it with MICE transforms local festivals into engines of investment, innovation, and unity," said CS Miano.

As part of this transformative agenda, the Cabinet Secretary noted that the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) has unveiled a Virtual Exhibition Platform, a pioneering digital marketplace that will showcase Kenyan cultural artists, products, services, and destinations to both local and global audiences.

Morans dancing during Lkereti album launch by Lentirr and Nookisho in Laikipia County, on December 7, 2025. [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The platform will allow cultural groups, artisans, creatives, entrepreneurs, and SMEs to host virtual booths, exhibitions, performances, and product catalogues, expanding visibility and market access beyond physical limitations.

The Virtual Exhibition Platform will be officially launched next week during the Jamhuri Thematic Week at KICC, marking a major milestone in Kenya's digital tourism expansion.

CS Miano further noted, "This platform revolutionises how Kenya markets its culture, creativity, and tourism offerings. Artists and communities will now have a global stage 24/7 amplifying their work, their identity, and their economic potential."

The Ministry also highlighted Sunday's historic launch of Olkereti, the new album by The Multisystem an event anchored in the broader "Demystifying MICE Through Culture".

The launch brought together local leaders, cultural champions, elders, creatives, and supporters from across Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Narok, Kajiado, Turkana, Meru, Marsabit, Nairobi, and beyond. The Multisystem's unique blend of Maa music, contemporary storytelling, and empowerment messages has made them powerful voices for cultural preservation and youth inspiration.