New classification rates for tourism facilities and services will be effective in a month’s time

A young girl riding a camel along Bamburi beach in Mombasa. The classification has incorporated East African Community member countries Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and is expected to be concluded by end of next year. [PHOTO: AFP]

Nairobi; Kenya: New classification rates for tourism facilities and services have been gazetted and will be effective in a month’s time, a senior ministry official has said.

East African Community Affairs (EAC), Commerce and Tourism Principal Secretary Dr Ibrahim Mohamed said the authority’s key objective is to ensure standardisation and quality control in the sector in order to improve its products and services.

The classification has incorporated the East African Community (EAC) member countries Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda and is expected to be concluded by end of 2015.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Head of Standards, Training and Accreditation of the Tourism Regulatory Authority Willis Ondiek, during the official opening of the National Tourism Network Forum, Dr Mohamed called upon industry stakeholders to work together in addressing emerging challenges towards tourism growth and development such as insecurity, travel advisories, limited tourism offerings, poor road network and regional competition.

His sentiments were reiterated by Kenya Tourism Federation’s Chairperson Ms Lucy Karume, who urged industry players not to lose focus on the customer. “Whereas the major incentive for engaging in tourism is revenue and job creation, we must also take into account the motivations of the tourists themselves if our objectives are to succeed”.

Positive communication

Ms Karume added that while attracting visitors to Kenya will remain important, word of mouth is becoming a key decision making factor and therefore the need to increase positive communication as tourists sample the various products on offer.

“With the new Constitution of Kenya ushering in a new level of operation for tourism where each of the new county governments is responsible for development issues within their respective areas, it is imperative for the industry to forge solid working relationships within respective jurisdictions, as tourists moving across the counties will expect product standards, policy regulation and quality service across board,” she said.

Kenya Tourism Federation with support from the Business Advocacy Fund formed the Tourism Network, an umbrella organisation bringing together counties and regional tourism stakeholders to work together to foster and champion tourism development.