Africa Focus: Kenya pledges to tackle insecurity to spur tourism

Kenya said on Thursday it has put in place firm security measures to contain acts of lawlessness including terrorism, which have hindered the development of the tourism sector.

Deputy President William Ruto said the government is committed to making Kenya the preferred tourist destination in Africa by vigorously campaigning to boost the country's image abroad.

"We should not allow issues like terrorism to discourage tourists from visiting this great country," Ruto said in Nairobi during a meeting with officials from Africa Travel Association (ATA) led by Executive Director Edward Bergman.

"Terrorism and extremists are not unique to Kenya. They are global problems which require global efforts to end," Ruto added.

Ruto said the East African nation will host the ATA Congress in November, which will bring together key players in the tourism travel industry from Africa and the world.

He said Kenya is prepared and ready to host the congress, saying this would go a long way in promoting the country's tourism sector.

The East African nation has stepped up its marketing blitz to woo key source markets in wake of a decrease in tourist arrivals occasioned by unabated spate of insecurity brought about by acts of terrorism from Al-Shabaab and travel advisories issued by countries that provide key source markets.

Kenya has also launched a social media campaign with private sector earlier this year as part of the re-assurance campaigns. The campaigns have been embraced by both the domestic and international travelers.

Cabinet Secretary East Africa, Commerce and Tourism Phyllis Kandie said the ministry was doing everything possible to make the Congress a success, saying it was through such initiatives that the country promotes the tourism sector.

"The ministry is looking forwards to this congress in Nairobi for the second time. We have experience to host and we will show them our tourist sites," she said.

"We want to send the right signals to the world that Kenya is safe and remains the best preferred tourism destination in the world. In short we are telling tourists all over the world that Kenya is back into the market," she added.

Kandie said the ministry will also use the unveiling of the Turkana Boy slated for later this month to popularize Kenya as origin of mankind.

The country currently receives about 115,000 tourists visit the country every year, mostly in Safaris and for cultural events, according to Kandie.

Speaking during the meeting, Bergman said they expected more than 500 delegates to participate in the congress with majority being from the private sector.

"We expect travel agents from across the globe as media, airline executives, NGOs executives, government agents, among other private sectors," he said.

The officials were on a fact-finding mission on the tourists' sites ahead of the November ATA congress.

ATA is an international travel and trade association that promotes tourism to the African continent and intra-Africa partnerships. Endi