Miano pledges to revitalise tourism, safeguard wildlife

Former Tourism CS Alfred Mutua (left) hands the docket to incoming counterpart Rebecca Miano in Nairobi on Wednesday, August 14. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has pledged to revitalise the country's tourism sector and enhance wildlife conservation.

She made the remarks on Wednesday, August 14, as she officially took office in Nairobi, succeeding Alfred Mutua, who has been redeployed to the Labour docket following recent Cabinet changes.

Miano, who previously held the Investments, Trade and Industry docket, reflected on her past government roles, which she said provided valuable experience in wildlife conservation and the hospitality industry.

"The task before us is huge," said Miano.

"We need to rethink how we attract tourists and protect our wildlife, especially with climate change in mind."

She urged her department to focus on innovation and continuous efforts to revive the industry.

Quoting Robert Collier, she said, "Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out."

Miano outlined her top priorities, including operationalising the Ronald Ngala Utalii College for world-class training, improving the classification of hospitality facilities and promoting domestic tourism.

"I will encourage modern technology to increase tourist numbers and create memorable experiences," she added.

She also committed to reviewing the National Tourism Policy, ensuring tourist safety and distributing tourism benefits evenly across the country.

Miano also addressed the need for effective wildlife conservation, stating that there is a need to retool conservation strategies to respond to issues like climate change.

She affirmed her commitment to working closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other agencies to ensure proper mechanisms for compensation and conservation are in place.