CS Miano pledges to fast-track strategies to unlock tourism potential

When former Tourism Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua handed over the docket to the incoming CS Rebecca Miano on Aug 14, 2024. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has pledged to fast-track strategies aimed at unlocking the immense potential of Kenya's tourism sector.

Miano said that Tourism is the third largest source of foreign exchange for Kenya, with earnings reaching Sh352.6 billion in 2023 compared to Sh268.1 billion the previous year, marking a 31.5 per cent increase.

Speaking when she took over the ministry from Alfred Mutua who is the new Labour Cabinet Secretary during the official handover ceremony in Nairobi, Miano said that she would lead consultations in revamping the National Tourism Policy.

"I will ensure the revamping of the National Tourism Policy to serve emerging trends given the ever-changing tastes of tourists with this sector holding significant promise in boosting the country's economic growth," said Miano.

The Cabinet Secretary said her priority will be to accelerate the growth of tourism earnings to support the government's development agenda by seeking a broad consensus with key stakeholders in the spirit of the Bottom-up Economic Model.

Miano said this will be done in a manner to uphold the distribution of benefits accruing from tourism and wildlife conservation more evenly throughout Kenya as she consults with sector players on ways of reducing human-wildlife conflicts.

The Cabinet Secretary was categorical on the need to enhance product diversification that caters to modern tastes and boosts the country's competitive edge affirming that the Ministry would work closely with all stakeholders to unlock the sector's immense potential for both domestic and international tourism.

"I will seek ways of entrenching a domestic tourism culture as we disabuse the notion that tourism is for visitors from without, i will also encourage the use of modern information technology to rally the travel industry to not only shore up tourist numbers but also create memorable experiences of our diverse attractions," said Miano.

The Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, through the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), is collaborating with county governments to develop niche tourism circuits, which Miano said will be a game-changer for the sector.

Miano said that her door is open for all sector players as they seek partnerships that will be beneficial to the sector, with a focus on ensuring synergy with the county governments as well as creating an enabling environment for investment in tourism across the country.

The Cabinet Secretary said there was a need to retool wildlife conservation to respond to current issues like climate change with Kenya being a custodian to diverse wildlife heritage as well as flora and fauna that we must take care of

Miano expressed commitment to finding sustainable solutions to the human-wildlife conflict noting that she will work closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service and other agencies to ensure proper mechanisms for compensation and conservation are in place.

Mutua lauded groundwork laid during his tenure, particularly through initiatives which aim at uncovering Kenya's hidden tourism treasures expressing confidence that Miano will bring a fresh perspective to boost tourism earnings.

"I am confident that CS Miano will build upon the momentum, especially through the collaborations with counties, to drive tourism revenue growth and wish her success in steering Kenya's tourism sector to new heights," said Mutua.