This archive report was first published on 24 June 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, the tourism industry in Kenya is facing unprecedented challenges. According to Tourism Principal Secretary Safina Kwekwe, the sector has suffered significantly due to restricted movements and the ban on international flights.
Speaking during a tree planting exercise in Kwale County, Kwekwe emphasized the need for stakeholders in the industry to focus on domestic tourism. She noted that the government has set aside Ksh 2 billion to support the renovation of tourist hotels and the restructuring of business operations by actors in the industry.
‘We expect actors in the industry to seize such opportunities championed by the national government to accelerate the transformation to the tourism of the future,’ Kwekwe said.
The pandemic has triggered global anxiety in the travel and tourism sector, with many beach hotels in the coastal counties of Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, and Lamu closing down indefinitely. Kwekwe urged industry players to bank on domestic tourists by offering them value-for-money services and other new ideas to lure local guests post-covid-19 lockdowns.
The government does not expect the tourist sector to be fully back in business until December 2021, and Kwekwe emphasized the need for players in the hospitality sector to think outside the box in the coronavirus era.
