What makes tourism different from many other services is that the supplier stays where he is, and the tourist comes to him rather than the supplier taking his services to the consumer. Tourism can thus play a key role in poverty alleviation, bringing jobs for unskilled or semi-skilled workers in hotels, and resorts, as well as encouraging job creation in supply industries.
We need to take tourism in our country to a whole new level and harness the huge potential this area holds to grow our economy. Below are a few things I would suggest to the Government, as tourism is a money spinner but we are simply letting opportunities slip from our hands.
1.Revamp and continually improve our travel infrastructure(Build great roads, railway networks and airports)
Good road infrastructure is vitally important for the dispersal of tourists beyond major gateways if we want to continue to grow tourism.
For foreign and domestic tourists alike, a bumpy ride with potholes, a punctured tire and aching back only to reach a game park is no good.
We need to strongly consider reviving the overnight passenger train service between Nairobi and Mombasa which used to be known as the Iron Snake of Africa. It is the most scenic way to travel to Kenya’s Coast through Tsavo National park, dinner, breakfast in the restaurant carriage, with a great and relaxed view of the coastal approach. This can lead to growth in domestic tourism.
We also need to upgrade our airports and services to international standards.
2.Aggressive tourism marketing strategies
The East African affairs, Commerce and Tourism ministry should pursue aggressive online and other marketing strategies to promote Kenya as a must-visit location. Whether it is broadcasting campaigns abroad, holding tourism seminars or offering Kenyan locations with facilities to promote foreign film productions in the country. Aggressive marketing is absolutely critical to be seen as well as heard.
3.Grow domestic tourism
Domestic tourism offers significant scope for economic growth. The government should adapt measures to generate greater value from domestic travel and tourism in country by promoting affordable and accessible travel and tourism opportunities to Kenyans. This can be done by unlocking growth points like school based tourism, targeting Co-operatives, Chamas, sports tourism etc. Education and awareness campaigns should also be held across the country to address the lack of a tourism culture amongst Kenyans.
4.Introduce tax measures to stimulate sector
New hotels across the country are needed to achieve the proposed 75,000 increase in bed capacity. Specific tax breaks for key international players willing to invest in tourism industry would be necessary if the new investment is to materialize. This can also include lower rates of corporation tax and preferentially lower rates of VAT.
5.Promote other forms of tourism
Obama tourism, sport tourism, fishing tourism, conference tourism, cruise ship tourism, eco-tourism etc. The objective would be to broaden the range of innovative tourism products in Kenya that are not only commercially viable and economically sustainable but equally benefiting communities and sensitive to ecological conservation.
Tourism may also represent a way to attract other types of consumers, not just holidaymakers. A growing phenomenon in recent years has been the movement of seniors or retirees from high-income to lower-income countries, not just for holidays but to escape harsh winters or to live permanently. As baby boomers, used to travelling abroad for vacation, begin to retire and as developing countries improve their services and infrastructure, these trends are likely to continue.
The international movement of retirees can have a profound impact on destination countries in a similar way to tourism, contributing to their development efforts. Retirees buy or rent real estate, consume goods and services, provide employment for local workers, and can attract foreign investment and greater numbers of foreign visitors to these countries.
Long-stay tourism programmes have proved successful in countries like Thailand and Malaysia in creating interest in the retirement industry.
Although the government has already started making significant improvements in some of the above areas, we still have a long way to go to let tourism alone generate significant revenue for the country.
We need to capitalize on Kenya as the country of the Big Five, Wildebeest Migration, Beautiful Beaches, Great Rift Valley, Maasai people, World long distance running champions, M-Pesa (M Country as we are known to outside world), Oil & Gas, Kitu Kidogo, a few thousand US Dollar millionaires and Hakuna Matata.
We need to take tourism in our country to a whole new level and harness the huge potential this area holds to grow our economy. Below are a few things I would suggest to the Government, as tourism is a money spinner but we are simply letting opportunities slip from our hands.
1.Revamp and continually improve our travel infrastructure(Build great roads, railway networks and airports)
Good road infrastructure is vitally important for the dispersal of tourists beyond major gateways if we want to continue to grow tourism.
For foreign and domestic tourists alike, a bumpy ride with potholes, a punctured tire and aching back only to reach a game park is no good.
We need to strongly consider reviving the overnight passenger train service between Nairobi and Mombasa which used to be known as the Iron Snake of Africa. It is the most scenic way to travel to Kenya’s Coast through Tsavo National park, dinner, breakfast in the restaurant carriage, with a great and relaxed view of the coastal approach. This can lead to growth in domestic tourism.
We also need to upgrade our airports and services to international standards.
2.Aggressive tourism marketing strategies
The East African affairs, Commerce and Tourism ministry should pursue aggressive online and other marketing strategies to promote Kenya as a must-visit location. Whether it is broadcasting campaigns abroad, holding tourism seminars or offering Kenyan locations with facilities to promote foreign film productions in the country. Aggressive marketing is absolutely critical to be seen as well as heard.
3.Grow domestic tourism
Domestic tourism offers significant scope for economic growth. The government should adapt measures to generate greater value from domestic travel and tourism in country by promoting affordable and accessible travel and tourism opportunities to Kenyans. This can be done by unlocking growth points like school based tourism, targeting Co-operatives, Chamas, sports tourism etc. Education and awareness campaigns should also be held across the country to address the lack of a tourism culture amongst Kenyans.
4.Introduce tax measures to stimulate sector
New hotels across the country are needed to achieve the proposed 75,000 increase in bed capacity. Specific tax breaks for key international players willing to invest in tourism industry would be necessary if the new investment is to materialize. This can also include lower rates of corporation tax and preferentially lower rates of VAT.
5.Promote other forms of tourism
Obama tourism, sport tourism, fishing tourism, conference tourism, cruise ship tourism, eco-tourism etc. The objective would be to broaden the range of innovative tourism products in Kenya that are not only commercially viable and economically sustainable but equally benefiting communities and sensitive to ecological conservation.
Tourism may also represent a way to attract other types of consumers, not just holidaymakers. A growing phenomenon in recent years has been the movement of seniors or retirees from high-income to lower-income countries, not just for holidays but to escape harsh winters or to live permanently. As baby boomers, used to travelling abroad for vacation, begin to retire and as developing countries improve their services and infrastructure, these trends are likely to continue.
The international movement of retirees can have a profound impact on destination countries in a similar way to tourism, contributing to their development efforts. Retirees buy or rent real estate, consume goods and services, provide employment for local workers, and can attract foreign investment and greater numbers of foreign visitors to these countries.
Long-stay tourism programmes have proved successful in countries like Thailand and Malaysia in creating interest in the retirement industry.
Although the government has already started making significant improvements in some of the above areas, we still have a long way to go to let tourism alone generate significant revenue for the country.
We need to capitalize on Kenya as the country of the Big Five, Wildebeest Migration, Beautiful Beaches, Great Rift Valley, Maasai people, World long distance running champions, M-Pesa (M Country as we are known to outside world), Oil & Gas, Kitu Kidogo, a few thousand US Dollar millionaires and Hakuna Matata.
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