Kenya is accelerating efforts to diversify its tourism portfolio in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s global competitiveness, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said on Friday during the ongoing Lamu Cultural Festival.
Addressing stakeholders and festival attendees, Miano emphasized that while Kenya’s beaches and wildlife remain internationally recognized, the country must expand its tourism offerings to fully harness its cultural and natural potential. She noted that the Lamu Cultural Festival—one of Kenya’s most iconic heritage events—served as a fitting platform to highlight the importance of cultural tourism.
“For a long time Kenya has been known for the beach and the bush. That’s why we are promoting culture, adventure and sports tourism,” she said. “We also recognize that we haven’t maximized our beaches, so we are working with counties so we can develop more products.”
Her remarks reflect the Ministry of Tourism’s broader strategy to diversify experiences available to both domestic and international travellers. With global travel trends shifting toward immersive, authentic, and community-rooted experiences, Kenya is positioning itself to offer attractions that go beyond conventional safaris and coastal holidays.
Miano noted that partnerships with county governments will be key to unlocking new tourism products. Counties across Kenya are being encouraged to map out unique cultural sites, festivals, adventure trails, water-based activities, and historical landmarks that can enrich the national tourism portfolio.
“ We are putting maximum effort towards this because we foresee that in the next few years, kenya will be among the best tourist destinations,’ she said.
The Lamu Cultural Festival—celebrated for its dhow races, traditional dances, Swahili cuisine, poetry, and donkey races—was highlighted as an example of the unique experiences Kenya can promote to international audiences. According to the CS, enhancing such cultural events will not only attract more visitors but also empower local communities that depend on tourism for their livelihoods.
The ministry is also strengthening efforts to promote adventure and sports tourism, leveraging Kenya’s globally renowned marathon culture, mountain landscapes, and emerging water-sports destinations.
Tourism stakeholders have welcomed the renewed focus on diversification, noting that a broader array of attractions can help increase visitor numbers, lengthen stays, and provide resilience during global disruptions that may affect traditional tourism circuits.
As Kenya continues to spotlight festivals like Lamu’s and expand its tourism vision, the government hopes to create a more vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable sector—one that showcases the country’s identity beyond the famed beach-and-bush narrative.
