KISUMU, Kenya, October 2025 – The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife has embarked on a mission to formulate new strategies aimed at revamping the sector across the country and even globally.
The aggressive campaign is aimed at revitalising the sector amidst competition from other countries. Through the state department for tourism, it will, in the interim, come up with academic centres of excellence in order to produce personnel who will be able to steady the tourism sector.
A United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) consultant, Professor Ray Mutinda, said that moving forward, they have identified the Kenya Utalii College as a centre of excellence.
Speaking in Kisumu during a public participation, Prof Mutinda said Kenya, which used to be a powerhouse in tourism, is now trailing countries such as South Africa and Tanzania.
According to the consultant, they intend to map the tourism sector to know who is who and the type of curriculum offered by institutions offering courses in tourism and related fields.
“The government is keen to know the type of curriculum offered by such institutions and offer alternatives if the need arises. The package is aimed at involving young people, more so those pursuing tourism studies,” he said.
Kisumu County Executive for Tourism, Farida Salim, emphasised that the region is home to numerous attractions that remain undiscovered by many locals. She stressed that awareness and appreciation must begin with residents themselves.
“Some people in Kisumu are growing old without ever setting foot in the Impala Sanctuary, which is right here in the city. Before tourists come in, we need to seize the chance to explore our surroundings,” she remarked.
Salim called for a shift in mindset, urging locals to value and visit nearby destinations.
“Let us take this opportunity to explore and appreciate the tourism gems we have,” Salim said.
She added that with the right innovations, the region holds immense potential for both tourism growth and conservation efforts.
To achieve these efforts, the county government of Kisumu has rolled out a strategy to promote Kisumu as a tourism destination of choice.
Kisumu, she said, is home to some of the world’s unique sites and untold stories which should be brought to light to shore up tourism fortunes for the lakeside county.
“’Kisumu My Pride’ is a marketing strategy through which we want to bring out the best of Kisumu to the world. We have very unique stories that can only be told by us,” she said.
To give fresh impetus to the campaign, Salim said the county government has partnered with like-minded organisations to scale up conservation efforts for the lake.
“We must have justice for Lake Victoria so that as we use it to derive economic benefits, we must also ensure it is conserved for future posterity,” she said.
Salim said Lake Victoria used to be home to about 380 species of fish, but due to human activity and pollution, this has reduced to just about seven,” he said.
A former civic leader, Romanus Odhoch, said that the security of tourists in the country should also be accorded a priority. He noted that many visitors have, in the recent past, been attacked and even murdered in certain parts of the country.
“Many have been robbed of their cash and property and left stranded. The human-wildlife conflict must also be addressed as tourism is looked at from all angles,” he noted.
Odhoch said locals should be accorded preferential treatment when it comes to charges into national parks and other animal sanctuaries.
Prof Mutinda added that the issue of human-animal conflict is fully addressed in the Wildlife Act. The consultant said they are keen on producing people who can also work globally in the tourism ecosystem
