Key players in the tourism industry want the Tourism Regulatory Authority functions decentralized to county governments to help oversee the implementation of community-based tourism projects.
In his submission on Friday during a public participation forum on Tourism Policy and Tourism Amendment Bill 2024, Lake Victoria Tourism Association Kenya (LVTA) CEO Charles Kataro stated that the proposal would ensure revenue-sharing mechanisms fairly benefit local communities. "Establishing County Tourism Development Offices would significantly enhance county-level tourism management to align with the devolved system of government," Kataro observed.
The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife conducted a public hearing in Kisumu County on the proposed National Tourism Policy and Tourism (Amendment) Bill, 2024 that aims to modernize, diversify and enhance Kenya's tourism industry.
Kataro further said that the government should shift focus from marketing popular overcrowded tourist sites like Maasai Mara and the coastal sandy beaches to lesser-known attractions like Lake Turkana, Kakamega Forest and Western region tourism circuit. "Government should provide special incentives to private investors interested in investing in marine transport in Lake Victoria to enhance regional connectivity between the East African member states which will be a big boost to tourism activities in the region," he added.
