The state aims to generate Sh430 billion in tourism earnings by June next year, aligning with the Ministry of Tourism’s objectives under President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda (BETA).
According to the-star.co.ke, The Tourism ministry also seeks to increase tourist numbers to 2.5 million visitors during the current financial year.
The number of international arrivals shot by 48.6 percent from 1.4 million in 2022 to 2.08 million in 2024.
“Correspondingly, tourism earnings grew from Sh268 billion in 2022 to Sh352 billion in 2024 representing a 31.5 per cent increase,” read part of the negotiated document.
This is part of the performance commitment signed between the ministry and the office of Deputy Chief of Staff, performance and Delivery Management.
READ: Africa: Kenya’s Council of Governors Urges Counties to Identify and Market Untapped Tourism Gems to Boost Economy
The performance team led by Eliud Owalo and Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau has been meeting all state departments and ministries to agree on the targets for the dockets.
They met Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet secretary Rebecca Miano and Principal Secretaries Lekakeny Ololtuaa (Tourism) and Silvia Museiya (Wildlife) on Wednesday to vet the commitments.
Part of the commitments the ministry intends to achieve within the next year is increasing domestic bed nights to five million by June next year.
The Miano’s docket also intends to put in place comprehensive human-wildlife conflict guidelines.
READ: Africa: How The Private Sector Can Lead the Charge To Explore Kenya’s Untapped Niche Tourism
President William Ruto had early this year launched a compensation scheme for damages arising from human-wildlife conflicts.
State records put compensation claims as a result of the conflict at Sh7 billion during the 2014-2023 period.
The compensation claims are for deaths, injuries, crop destruction, predation and damage of property caused by wild animals.
The government has since paid up to Sh4 billion to the victims of the conflict.
To mitigate the human-wildlife conflicts and provide financial relief to wildlife-affected persons the ministry will engage in capacity building of County Wildlife Conversation Committees on human-wildlife conflict.
The government will also be piloting and digitizing human-wildlife conflict claims data collection in identified hotspot counties.
The counties include Laikipia, Taita Taveta, Meru, Kajiado, Narok and Baringo counties.
“We will also train Kenya Wildlife Service and National Government Administration Officers as law enforcement agencies in combating poaching and wildlife trafficking,” the document reads.
“Developing the national strategy in combating poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking.”
The ministry also targets developing the National Wildlife Conservation Strategy 2030 Action Plan III 2024 – 2027
