Kenya is prepared to welcome tourists safely within the current Covid-19 environment according to the tourism marketing Agency, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB). This through the comprehensive Covid-19 protocols that have been placed across the tourism and hospitality sector.

“For us as a destination, the health and safety of travellers and that of the workers in the tourism and hospitality industry is paramount. As such, we have put in place all the required health protocols as advised by the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization across all our tourism facilities to ensure that tourism activities resume safely. These measures are being implemented across the country and I would like to assure everyone that Magical Kenya is safe and ready to welcome back tourists,”

KTB Acting CEO, Allan Njoroge
Two Elephants and Kilimanjaro mountain
Two Elephants and Kilimanjaro mountain

In 2020, the government launched the Magical Kenya Tourism and Hospitality sector protocols to guide the safe resumption of tourism activities in the country. The protocols received global recognition with the destination being awarded the Safe Travels Stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in recognition of the destination’s adoption of the global health and hygiene standardized protocols.  Most tourism facilities in the country have since implemented the protocols which have been key to ensuring the continuation tourism business.

Recently, the government through the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife has launched a nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive for frontline personnel in the Tourism and Hospitality sector aimed at fast-tracking full resumption of tourism in the country.

Kenya

While commenting on the program during the exercise, Tourism & Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said that the exercise is a major step towards resumption of activities in the tourism sector which have been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, noting that frontline workers in the Tourism and Hospitality sector are among the most vulnerable to Covid-19 because they come into direct contact with clients.

“Tourism is one of the sectors that has been greatly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and this is therefore important as it marks a crucial step towards the resumption of activities in the sector. Remember, hospitality facilities like restaurants, Hotels and Bars have been affected because of the risk posed by interaction. Therefore, this is an important step towards building traveller confidence in the sector,”

CS Balala.

The vaccination exercise for the country’s population is also going on all across the country with an emphasis being given to the most vulnerable in society. KTB Acting CEO, Allan Njoroge expresses hope that this will be a big step towards recovery of the ailing sector. He says that Kenya is ready to welcome tourists from all over the world to once again experience the magic of the Kenya for which it is known for. 

“With vaccination against the Covid-19 ongoing in the country and all over the world, we are confident that tourism will finally resume and we shall be able to receive more tourists going forward. As a destination, we want to assure our tourists that we are ready to receive them and they are welcome to experience Magical Kenya,” he added.

Kenya has for a long time been of the leading tourist destinations in Africa thanks to its remarkably picturesque tourist attractions and unparalleled safari experiences; with national parks and game reserves, making the country a premier destination for wildlife and adventure seekers.

Last year, the country was ranked as Africa’s leading tourist destination in 2020 by the World Travel Awards (WTA). Kenya emerged top for its tantalising cocktail of epic savannah landscapes, immense herds of wildlife and palm-fringed beaches. Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Samburu National Reserve, Shimba Hills National Reserve, Sweet Waters Game Reserve, and Tsavo National Park were named among the country’s top safari destinations at the awards.

Alongside being a leader in wildlife and rustic experiences, Kenya also has exciting attractions in authentic African cuisine, exotic cultures, breath-taking beaches, as well as spectacular cityscape.

As travel picks up in 2021, Kenya is looking to bank on the larger Asian market as it aims to revive its tourism sector which largely depends on international travellers. Asian countries have in the recent past been among the country’s key tourist source markets with India and China leading from the region.

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