Government plans to grow domestic tourism to keep industry afloat

Kenya: Despite Kenya’s reputation as a hub of rich tourism, the focus has been largely on wildlife tourism; ignoring the several forms of tourism that the country has to offer.

Additionally, with the spate of insecurity in various parts of Kenya, visits from foreign tourists have been affected. The travel advisories from some countries have not been kind on the industry either.

In a bid to diversify tourism and reduce the strain on main attractions, Kenya Tourism Board put together a 6-day trip for journalists in different media houses to highlight the little known destinations.

The trip was to cover the Central Kenya Circuit, a region that has been known more as a food basket than a tourist destination. Spanning from the Mt Kenya to the Aberdare ranges, the local media participants were able to sample a little bit of everything.

While flagging off the trip, the KTB managing Director, Muriithi Ndegwa, explained the need to draw attraction to the hidden gems that Kenya has in store.

“Most visitors only know of the generic attractions like the Massai Mara and Mombasa. This has not only put a strain on the facilities and capacity but has also left the tourism industry largely dependent on a few attractions,” he said.

“We have also been looking to grow domestic tourism using the Tembea Kenya project, to get the residents excited about the various destinations that their country has to offer. There are many Kenyans who are interested in travel but lack sufficient information,” he continued.

The state body which aims to drive and support the effective marketing of Kenya’s tourism products also runs the Magical Kenya website. It is on this website that in addition to showcasing Kenyan tourist destinations, also lists discounted packages for local residents.

The team of journalists covered destinations that offered golf tourism, adventure sports, leisure tourism and wildlife tourism.