A newly gazetted task force is to work with stakeholders in reviving the tourism industry, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie has announced. “The task force is all inclusive as it includes national and county government officials, the private sector, and tour operators among other stakeholders in resolving the issues facing the sector. The committee will not only strategise but also follow up and implement those strategies,” said the CS. Kandie exuded confidence that the committee members were up to the task of ensuring the industry recovers as soon as possible. The team, gazetted on July 11, is expected to identify challenges affecting the sector and come up with immediate solutions. The tourism recovery task force headed by former Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort & Spa General Manager Lucy Karume will meet once every week and report to the President on a monthly basis.
DEVELOP STRATEGY
It is also required to develop a strategy to address underlying challenges in an effort to position Kenya as a preferred destination for safari, beach, commercial, sports, educational, health and business conferencing.
“We are aware the tourism sector has been faced with a lot of challenges. It is for this reason the Government formed this committee in an effort to turn around the sector,” she said. The team is to work with other relevant stakeholders to re-position the tourism sector as a major contributor to the gross domestic product and economy. The industry is struggling following a myriad travel advisories slapped on Kenya by key markets such as the UK, US, Germany and Canada over security concerns. This has dealt a huge blow to the economy as it prompted tourist evacuations, cancellation of bookings and job cuts. “The strategies are aimed at not only turning around the tourism industry but also saving as many jobs as we can as the Government deals with the issue of security and other challenges that will be identified by the committee,” said Kandie. The committee will also develop an action plan to mitigate future challenges and make recommendations for remedial actions. The CS lauded the uptake of the Tembea Campaign rolled out by the Government to promote domestic tourism.
