The government of Kenya has decided not to own the tourism product but to coordinate the sector for a better economic growth. Public Agencies under the tourism sector includes the central government, the Kenya Tourism Board, a vibrant marketing arm of the sector and Kenya Wildlife Services which protects kenya’s wildlife and all natural attractions including the forest and marines.

The cooperation between government and the community that owns the attraction is superb. The role government plays in the tourism product is to train and develop the service providers and offer them loans and incentives to improve the quality of their product and service delivery.

It is a policy in Kenya that tourism operators employ at least 60% of their employees from the community in which they operate.

Again the role government plays in ensuring total quality product delivery is conservation of all natural and heritage attractions

The sustainability process starts with a committee responsible for the conservation of all natural and heritage attractions and it reports to the Head of Kenya Tourism Board. There is also a conservation trust which is mandated to collect all garbage at attractions and recycle for artifacts.

Energy Management:

Many hotels and lodges, away from the cities, are now investing in alternative energy sources. Solar power, in particular, is the preferred alternative, and most responsible properties today use some kind of solar system for their electricity and water heating.

Waste Management :

Hotels and lodges generate large volumes of solid and liquid waste and, because many of them are in remote areas where local council services are not available, they have to find ways of preventing their sewage from contaminating the environment. Initiatives to manage solid waste range from responsible purchasing to waste separation and recycling. As well as composting green waste and using it in their vegetable gardens, most lodges and camps are now returning their non-degradable waste – tin, glass, paper, batteries – to Nairobi, where it is recycled by larger manufacturers.

Tourism contributes 11 % percent to Kenya GDP which offers 15 percent employment to the youth.

PRODUCT DIVERSITY:

There is a Community involvement in the conservation of the beach front, water sports activities, kayaki, surfing, deep sea fishing, snorkeling among others.

There is also an annual clean beaches competition among the coastal communities.

Under the tourism sector all stakeholders are empowered to own the tourism product through excellent service delivery.

From the Hospitality, Local Transport services, the academia, Traditional Leaders, government, the media and the general citizenry , tourism

Is everybody’s business.

The media has helped increased awareness of tourism and its benefits to the state.

A lot of effort is being dedicated to minimising levels of human-wildlife conflict in areas outside Kenyas parks and reserves. Interventions range from fencing off protected areas to encouraging community tourism enterprises and providing compensation to pastoralists whose livestock are killed and farmers whose crops are damaged by wild animals. These interventions are initiated by different stakeholders, including private investors, local NGOs, and foreign conservation organisations

The media has helped in the profiling of the destination

The media compliments in the marketing of the destination.

Kenya has presented an excellent development strategy which has received a lot of foreign investment.

This is my little observation from Kenya.

Abeiku Aggrey Santana

Destination Marketing

Travel & Tour Practitioner

MD

Kaya Tours