Kenya unveils 17 new prime tourism experiences

 The new Magical Kenya Signature Experience collection representatives during the unveiling. The MKSE collection now has 61 experiences after 17 were added to the collection. [Peter Muiruri, Standard]

The last Northern white rhinos, sights and sounds of Fort Jesus and Salt Lick Safari Lodge are among 17 new facilities recognised as outstanding tourism offerings popularly known as Magical Kenya Signature Experiences. This brings to 61 the number of facilities under this collection.

The newly recognised facilities unveiled by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife will have their products and experiences marketed through familiarization trips, exhibitions, collaborative initiatives, and training to provide extra visibility.

The programme was launched in December 2019 in collaboration with trade partners such as the Kenya Association of Tour Operators, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers, and Ecotourism Kenya among others. At inception, only 15 inaugural facilities met the required criteria of a signature experience while the second phase in 2021 unveiled 29 experiences.

Through the programme, facilities and organizations are required to provide value addition to their offerings through exceptional travel experiences.

"I am glad to unveil the 17 new experiences today to add to the Signature Collection. Our goal was to grow and diversify our products to ensure that we are a cut above other destinations and to also have products that offer an outstanding experience to suit today's demanding traveller," said Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa.

Ololtuaa said tourism products and experiences were largely in the hands of the private players and called on collaborative efforts towards increasing value and volume by spreading experiences and products across the country.

He urged tourism providers to expand their product offerings to deliver unique and authentic Kenyan travel experiences to travellers to ensure that the destination remains competitive in the ever-changing tourism landscape.

"In 2015 a Tourism Taskforce was formed to identify and address challenges ailing the tourism industry such as increased competition, seasonality, getting stuck in the middle of the safari and perceptions around insecurity and affordability of the destination. The Signature Experience programme bridges this gap and addresses the seasonality issues and ensures Kenya remains a competitive tourism destination," said Ololtuaa.

"In a world that has shifted toward the experience economy, tourism should not be left behind. Our consistent message has been to showcase more of Kenya to all. We encourage all stakeholders to embrace this shift, innovate, and enhance what we offer to the modern traveller. Together, we can shape the future of Kenyan tourism into a realm of unmatched experiences."

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Chairman Francis Gichaba noted that while traditional products remain popular, in a fast-paced world the demand for new and more products has been rife, prompting Kenya to channel her focus towards improving tourism-generated income with respect to seasonality.

"To fully support the tourism industry, diversification of tourism products will be key in opening up non-conventional markets such as adventure tourism, agro-tourism or wellness tourism which are recording steady growth in other parts of the world. Kenya has curved her niche as a competitive destination with rich and diverse experiences across the country, available throughout the year and fit for different travel segments. Through this collection, Kenya has a lot more to offer beyond the wildlife and beach safari," said Gichaba.

To be part of the Program, facilities are required to fill out a pre-qualification quiz of 10 questions. The next stage involves filling out an application form followed by desk and on-site audits. Those meeting the requirements are then enlisted into the Magical Kenya Signature Experiences (MKSE) Collection.