OUR TOURIST NUMBERS ARE SET TO INCREASE, SAYS

BALALA
Kenya continued to display a show of renewed vigour in the
tourism sector as more congratulatory messages streamed in in
support of the governments efforts towards revamping the
sector. At the climax of the ongoing ITB fair in Berlin, hundreds of
participants continued to flock the Kenyan stand to learn more
about the recent incentives announced by the government to aide
in the recovery of the tourism sector. Over 42 exhibitors drawn
from hotels, airlines and tour operators are displaying some of the
very best deals from Kenya .
Tourism cabinet secretary Najib Balala who is leading the Kenyan
delegation to the event has participated in Panel discussions
where he has given an impressive picture of the return of the
countrys tourism industry after nearly two years of dismal
performance in tourism arrivals.

Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala among other panelists at the Africa Forum in
Berlin

Yes we have been bruised as a country, but we are now back

Said Hon. Balala during a press briefing attended by local and
international media in Germany .
CS Balala took this opportunity to outline to the world some of the
incentives that the government has put in place to help the
growth of the industry in Kenya. Top on the incentives was the
fact that the government was now working on the repair of the
Maasaimara Narok road to ensure a constant flow of tourists to
the Mara. It was good news to the exhibitors who were informed
that the Standard gauge railway will be operational from June
2017 . Hon Balala said this will reduce the time taken on the road
from Mombasa to Nairobi
. While encouraging Germans to
increase their numbers to Kenya, Hon. Balala Kenya is not the
Kenya that you knew before, things are changing and changing
for the better.

Courtesy call at Kenyas stand in Berlin by Ghanas Minister for Tourism Ms.
Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare

Other incentives that the CS announced include the scrapping of

the visa fees for children under 16 years . This he said is aimed at
promoting family travel to Kenya.
Also top as an incentive as outlined by the cabinet secretary is
the charter incentive program and passenger subsidies where he
noted that the the government had waived landing fees for
charters with 80% of the passengers terminating at Mombasa and
Malindi for the next 2years.

Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers National Chairman J.S

Vohra and CEO Mike Macharia with CS Balala

The program he said was aimed at recovering lost business from

tourist charter aircrafts that used to terminate at Moi International
and Malindi airports. He substantiated that under the program, all

tourist charter aircrafts with passengers terminating at Mombasa

and Malindi airports, will enjoy free landing and a passenger
subsidy of USD 30 per tourist if 80% of the passengers on board
will terminate in Kenya
These incentives have been put in place to reward charter
operators who choose Kenya as the preferred tourism
destination ,and make long term commitments on the route
guaranteeing us a gradual increase in the number of tourist
arrivals Said Balala.
While acknowledging the fact that Kenya has suffered in the last
two years as a result of reduced tourist numbers to Kenya, Balala
appealed to Western countries to consider giving accurate and
responsible travel advisories against Kenya. He said while there
was no travel advisory currently against Kenya, it was important
for western countries to consider the damage that the advisories
have on a countrys economy including loss of jobs and revenue
for a country before issuing one.
We had a decline of 40percent tourist arrivals in Kenya as a
result of the travel advisories . Dont punish us twice continued
Hon. Balala .
The CS who is accompanied by the Ministrys Principal Secretary
has expressed Optimism that the negotiations he has had with
the European market will bear fruits in the near future