Ministry of tourism Archives

Tourism Sector Booms with 60% Growth as Kenya Diversifies Attractions

by Daily Trends May 13, 2025

Kenya’s tourism industry is staging a powerful comeback, registering a 60% surge in international arrivals since 2022. Official data from the Ministry of Tourism reveals that the country welcomed 2.4 million tourists in 2024, up from 1.5 million in 2022.

This growth has driven tourism earnings to Kshs 452 billion, a significant rise from Kshs 268 billion just two years ago.

The sector now directly contributes Kshs 509 billion to the GDP—about 2.6%—with the total contribution estimated at Kshs 1 trillion, roughly 10.5% of the national GDP. Employment figures have also improved markedly, with tourism supporting over 1.5 million jobs, up from 1.1 million in 2022.

In a bid to reduce reliance on traditional beach and safari offerings, the Ministry has aggressively diversified Kenya’s tourism portfolio. Sports events like the Magical Kenya Open, the Kip Keino Classic, and the Naivasha WRC Rally are now major tourist draws. Cultural events such as the Maa and Rusinga festivals are also gaining traction. Additionally, conference tourism is on the rise, with Kenya hosting 643,595 MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) visitors in 2024, representing a 12.5% increase from the previous year.

“Over time Tourists have been confined to beach and wildlife safari products despite there being other equally attractive and interesting circuits available within the country. This has led to underutilization of the existing tourism products such as Conference tourism, heritage tourism, Sports Tourism, cultural tourism, Avi Tourism, Health and Wellness Tourism and Agro tourism,” said Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.

Domestic tourism remains a priority following its pandemic-era surge. The Ministry’s “Tembea Kenya” campaign, featuring subsidized park entry fees and family-friendly travel packages, helped increase domestic bed occupancy to over 5.1 million bed-nights in 2024. Youth-oriented travel activities, including hiking, photography, and adventure sports, are also expanding.

To modernize and streamline the visitor experience, the Ministry is set to launch a National Tourism Portal and a Kenya Tourist App. These digital tools will offer virtual tours, maps, and real-time travel information. A feedback mechanism for tourists is also in development.

Infrastructure upgrades have been instrumental. Roads to Amboseli and Tsavo have been improved, and airstrips in Lamu and Maasai Mara expanded. The recent opening of Narok National Airport is expected to boost access to key attractions.

May 13, 2025 0 comment

Tourism CS Rebecca Miano. PHOTO/@rebecca_miano/X

Business

Tourism CS Rebecca Miano Urges Regulators to Lead with Vision and Embrace Innovation

by Daily Trends April 29, 2025

written by Daily Trends

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has called on heads of Kenya’s regulatory authorities to become visionary leaders who drive innovation and national progress. Speaking during a dinner held for CEOs of regulatory agencies at the Eka Hotel in Eldoret, Miano said regulators must go beyond enforcing rules and focus on shaping the future through smart, people-focused leadership.

The event, attended by senior government officials including Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Mr. Felix Koskei, principal secretaries, and leaders from various regulatory bodies, provided a platform to reflect on the evolving role of regulators in Kenya’s economic and social development.

“Though seldom acknowledged, the effectiveness of regulators determines the pace of economic growth, levels of trust citizens gain in government services, and ultimately our global competitiveness,” Miano said in her keynote address.

Drawing from her own experience as former CEO of the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), Miano shared practical leadership lessons. She emphasized that a clear and well-communicated vision is key to driving performance. “At KenGen, our mission to ‘light up Kenya sustainably’ guided every decision—from geothermal investments to community engagement,” she noted.

She encouraged agencies to regularly revisit their strategic plans and ensure alignment with national development frameworks such as the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and Vision 2030. “A leader with a poorly communicated set of goals and objectives is like a bee bereft of the skill of collecting nectar,” she said, drawing laughter from the room.

Miano also highlighted the need for stakeholder engagement, urging regulators to stay connected to the people they serve.

“At KenGen, we held annual public forums to listen to communities affected by our projects. It worked magic for us,” she said.

She stressed the importance of technology in modern regulatory work, citing the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics in enhancing efficiency and transparency. “Imagine a system where the Kenya Revenue Authority uses AI to detect tax evasion in real time or the Capital Markets Authority flags insider trading automatically. The possibilities are endless if we dare to dream,” she remarked.

While technology is vital, Miano said it must be matched with strong human capital. She urged agencies to invest in talent development through leadership programs and partnerships with institutions to equip staff with the skills needed for the future.

“Encourage innovation through sandbox models that allow safe experimentation,” she added. “And always benchmark your practices against global standards.”

In her closing remarks, Miano emphasized the need for humility, professionalism, and integrity in leadership. “Surround yourself with diverse thinkers. Encourage dissent—it sharpens decisions. And never underestimate the power of listening,” she said.

April 29, 2025 0 comment

Politics

Tourism Ministry to Halt Construction of The Multi-Billion Ronald Ngala Utalii college

by Daily Trends March 26, 2023

written by Daily Trends

A parliamentary committee has ordered the Ministry of and wildlife to stop the completion and construction of the multi-billion Ronald Ngala Utalii college until a probe it has initiated is finalized.

The National Assembly Departmental committee on Tourism and Wildlife wants the National Treasury to provide a clear roadmap on how it will finance the project as well as clear the pending bills which include penalties arising from delayed payment and lack of funding on time.

The first phase of the project, funded by the State through the Tourism Fund, includes administration and tuition blocks, hostels, staff quarters, and a dining hall.

The Tourism Fund is seeking 3.3 billion shillings to complete the construction of the facility which includes clearing pending works of sh. 1.2 billion, operation of the project (furniture sh. 215 million shillings and Services sh. 433 million shillings) and pending bill of sh. 1.5 billion shillings.

The project whichstarted as a Vision 2030 project was earmarked to be completed in 2018 at 4.9 billion shillings but is now scheduled to consume up to 11 billion shillings once completed, as of February 2023 and is 77.74 percent complete.

Addressing a press conference on Monday after touring the facility accompanied by Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa and officials of Tourism Fund, Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki, who chairs the committee, said the national government must make up its mind on whether the project, remains stalled and continues to accrue interest and penalties, or money is allocated to complete the project.

Mbiuki directed the ministry not to allocate any monies for purposes of its completion or settling pending bills as well as penalties, until such a time the committee is seized with the matter, makes a report to be tabled in parliament proposing a funding formula, and a report on the implementation of the project.

“So, for the time being, don’t dare appropriate or allocate any amount to this project, not until, we have a serious discussion with President William Ruto’s administration to agree on a way forward. Let pending bills stay as they are but don’t touch even a coin within the sector, but the other campaigns within the tourism sector can proceed as scheduled, but as Ronald Ngala Utalii college, allow us almost two weeks or one month as we work on the rescue program,” he said, adding that his committee will also be in serious consultation with the ministry.

The Maara legislator lamented that it was unfair for the National Treasury not to finance the institution, which will complement the Kenya Utalii College in Nairobi, offer maritime courses as well as contribute to the promotion of tourism.

“We don’t want the project to be left to the Tourism Fund and Tourism Promotion Fund because they cannot raise the monies owned to the contractor, consultants, and charges as well penalties that have already been accrued due to defaulting by the state,” he held.

According to Mbiuki, the ministry of tourism and its state agencies cannot be left to finance the remainder because they have other obligations to meet like allocating resources to Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Kenyatta Utalii College among others.

He said his committee will be engaging the National Treasury to ensure that the project is allocated monies for its completion.

“We want the National Treasury to come and commit to allocating funds to this project because in the supplementary budget, there was zero allocation and in the Budget Policy Statement, the allocation is still nil, once monies are allocated it will supplement what you (ministry) have already assigned to the project,” he held.

Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa disagreed with the committee decision asking it reconsider its decision to stall the project as money has already been put into it saying the only solution is to complete it.

“I think the objective should be one. How it should be completed as well as thinking ways of raising money for the project especially if there is a way stakeholders can all together reach out to the National Treasury to also either put it as an emergency to finish the project once and for all,” said Ololtuaa.

While agreeing on the project to be stalled, Nominated MP Abubakar Talib Ahmed, who is a member of the committee said there ought to be serious interrogation by the committee as the project had all characteristics of a white elephant.
“This is a white elephant. The committee should have a serious consultation interrogation of the project, as you advised Kenya Tourism Board and Tourism Fund not to put a single shilling into the project until we get to the bottom of it,” said Abubakar.

Other committee members include Wanjiku John Njuguna (Kiambaa), Kilel Richard (Bomet East), Ruku Geoffrey Kiringa (Mbeere South), Chebor Paul Kibet (Rongai), Shake Mbogho Peter (Voi), Mugabe Innocent Maino (Likuyani), Abdi Khamis Chome (Voi), Obo Ruweida Mohamed (Lamu East), and Bedzimba Rashid Juma (Kisauni).

The committee is on a five-day coast region inspection visit to flagship projects with the Ministry of Wildlife, Tourism, and Heritage, its departments, and agencies under its purview.

March 26, 2023 0 comment