Coast hoteliers protest resolution to chop tourism funds

The national chairman of the Kenya Tourism Federation, Mohamed Hersi, and the tourism CS Najib Balala.

The Treasury Department’s decision to cut the Tourism Department’s budget by Sh3.42 billion has caused an uproar, and hoteliers said this would be a hindrance the industry’s recovery plans.

According to the supplementary budget released this week, the Ministry of Finance cut the ministry’s spending from Sh 12.8 billion in the previous fiscal year to Sh 9.4 billion.

Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) national chairman Mohamed Hersi described the move as unfortunate and said the ministry should be allocated adequate funding to reverse the sector affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This will now force the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) to reduce its marketing activities,” said Hersi, who is also the Operations Manager at Pollman’s Tours and Safaris Company.

Other stakeholders complained about the Treasury Department’s decision to cut funding dedicated to tourism marketing while allocating more resources to businesses based in the Department of Tourism that were not generating significant revenues in 2020.

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Massive Marketing

Sam Ikwaye, executive officer of the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast Branch, noted that the tourism sector requires massive marketing due to the crises caused by the pandemic.

“With all the negative sentiment about corruption in Kenya, the tensions surrounding the Building Bridges Initiative and the upcoming general election, it is difficult to understand how the industry will survive in the days ahead,” said Ikwaye.

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“Most investors have no idea how to survive these tough times. There are suppliers and employees who have to be paid. We have no resources to use for marketing.”

Ikwaye remained optimistic that the state would heavily arm KTB to market Kenya as a major tourist destination.

Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of Kilifi, Gideon Saburi, has urged coastal hoteliers to take advantage of the government’s stimulus plan being introduced by Tourism Finance Corporation to give their facilities a makeover.