This archive report was first published on 17 June 2020.
Kenya's tourism industry is on the path to recovery, with the government working on guidelines to help the sector bounce back once international travel resumes.
According to Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, Kenya is collaborating with the World Tourism and Travel Council to ensure the protocols are compliant internationally, paving the way for the sector's revival within the next two months.
As of early March, the tourism sector had collapsed, resulting in a significant loss of over 90% of tourism earnings, amounting to billions of shillings. This translates to a drastic reduction of 170 billion shillings in receipts, equivalent to 10% of the country's GDP.
However, the government is optimistic about the sector's revival, with plans in top gear to stimulate growth from the local tourism industry first. This approach is expected to help the sector recover in phases.
CS Balala emphasized the need for patience from tourism stakeholders, assuring them that the government is working to actualize the 3 billion shillings stimulus package announced by the National treasury CS last week.
During his visit to Watamu Kilifi County, CS Balala also highlighted the importance of initiatives like the 'trash for cash' project, which involves collecting used plastic bottles and recycling them into souvenirs and other essential items. He commended the project for its efforts in keeping the marine environment clean and reducing plastic waste.
