President Uhuru Kenyatta at a past event. PHOTO/FILE
Friday, May 23, 2014
By PSCU
In Summary
- Kenyans working in corporate and business entities will now enjoy paid up vacations
- The tourism stakeholders pledged to offer better vacation package to Kenyans compared to what they offer international tourists
President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued a raft of new measures to boost domestic and international tourism.
He said Kenyans working in corporate and business entities will now enjoy paid up vacations in the tourism sector.
Making
the announcement after holding a meeting with tourism sector
stakeholders at State House Nairobi, President Kenyatta said the
Government is taking specific measures to stimulate the tourism sector
including giving at least 25,000 Kenyans a chance to go for a week’s
holiday every month at the expense of their employers.
President
Kenyatta also ordered that Government events be held in hotels,
revoking a directive by the National Treasury Circular restricting the
public service from holding conferences and other meetings in private
hotels.
The President's move follows recent travel
advisories issued by the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and
France to its citizens that Kenya is not a safe destination.
Other
measures taken to revamp the sector include exemption of VAT on air
ticketing services supplied by travel agents as well as payment of all
income tax related refunds owed to tourism industry players by the Kenya
Revenue Authority not later than Thursday next week.
“All
park fees currently set at USD90 per non-resident and KShs.1,200 per
resident guest shall be reduced to USD.80 and KShs.1,000, respectively,
effective 12th June 2014,” he said.
To increase
flights to Moi international Airport and Malindi Airport, the President
announced the reduction of landing charges for both local and
international flights by 40 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.
To
give impetus to tourism sector recovery, President Kenyatta affirmed
that all budgetary resources at National Government earmarked for
foreign travel in Supplementary II, will be reallocated to domestic
travel. He also urged other arms of Governments to do the same.
“The
National Government urges the County Governments to reallocate all
their foreign travels budgets to domestic travels in order to spur
growth of domestic tourism and sustain employment,” President Kenyatta
stated.
President Kenyatta said the industry has also
identified several other measures to complement government’s initiatives
to revamp the sector.
The tourism stakeholders pledged
to offer better vacation package to Kenyans compared to what they offer
international package tourists, estimated at about USD 60 (Ksh5,280)
daily per person.
“The Government and Industry will
develop an interactive Kenya Tourism Portal, within a week, to promote
and manage booking and distribution of domestic guests under the Tourism
Stimulus Program,” the President further added.
He
affirmed that for the Medium to Long Term Measures, the Government will
reconstitute a task Force with a mandate of developing a strategy to
address underlying challenges and positioning Kenya as a preferred
destination for all types’ of tourism activities including conferencing
tourism and professional services in Africa, attracting at least 5
million guests in the next five years.
Chairman of
Tourism Committee in Council of Governors who is also the Taita/Taveta
Governor John Mruttu, said the Industry players appreciate measures
taken by the National Government and that they will fully support the
initiatives regardless the current challenges facing the sector.
“
I also welcome what has been agreed with the hotel owners where hotels
in the beach and in the park will stop selling curious and other wares
and instead leave this business to small scale traders,’ Said Governor
Mruttu.
The chairlady of the Kenya Tourism Federation
Lucy Karume urged all stakeholders in the industry to do their best and
maintain the good image of the country.
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