Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has called on county governments to diversify and actively promote tourism products within their regions, as Kenya sets ambitious targets of 5.5 million international visitors and Ksh.1.1 trillion in tourism earnings by 2028.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement with the Council of Governors and county executive committee members at the Wildlife Research Training Institute in Naivasha, Miano emphasized that closer collaboration between national and county governments is critical to unlocking the full potential of the tourism sector.
Counties as Custodians of Tourism Assets
Miano noted that counties are custodians of Kenya’s diverse tourism assets including wildlife, landscapes, culture, heritage, adventure, and community-based experiences but many of these attractions remain under-developed and under-promoted.
“Kenya’s tourism opportunity is immense, yet much of our rich and diverse attractions remain under-utilised. Counties must showcase unique experiences across all seasons to strengthen destination competitiveness and grow the national tourism brand,” she said.
Untapped Potential in Africa
Highlighting the continent’s untapped potential, Miano observed that while 1.4 billion tourists travelled globally in 2024, Africa received only 5.3% of those arrivals, with Kenya accounting for about 2.4 million visitors.
She stressed that innovation, product diversification, and targeted marketing at the county level could significantly boost arrivals and help Kenya capture a larger share of the global tourism market.
Addressing Sector Challenges
Miano pointed out that limited awareness of inland, cultural, adventure, and community-based tourism continues to constrain growth. To address this, she urged counties to support the ongoing national tourism product mapping exercise, which will generate data to guide product development, management, and marketing.
“The data from this exercise will help us understand gaps, challenges and opportunities, and will inform better decision-making at both county and national levels,” she explained.
Strengthening Destination Brands
The CS further called on counties, circuits, and regions to define and strengthen their destination brands, noting that strong county identities would collectively enhance the Magical Kenya brand and reposition the country as a vibrant, inclusive, year-round destination.
Tourism and Job Creation
Miano linked tourism diversification to job creation, particularly for young people, saying the sector is expected to double employment opportunities for youth as entrepreneurs, innovators, and digital creators.
She urged counties to fully support the Tourism Brand Repositioning Taskforce, stressing that collaboration is key to redefining Kenya’s tourism narrative, attracting investment, and positioning the country as a world-class destination.
