Kenya’s tourism industry witnessed an unprecedented growth while earning a mammoth amount of $ 800 million in 2006, making it the biggest currency earner ahead of tea and horticulture with the expected income of $1 billion this year.
Kenya’s beautiful nature fused with wild life:
Kenya is a beautiful country with its spectacular natural terrain amalgamated with wild life. Tourists feel exhilarated catching the glimpses of the antelope, buffalo and a giraffe grazing just a short distance away.
Decadence due to bombings:
Kenya, however, saw the decadence in the tourism industry due to bombings in 1998 and 2002, mainly because of US warnings of probable al-Qaeda attacks. Notwithstanding, Kenyan tourism industry rose like a phoenix from its own pyre to witness an unparallel growth, when especially it saw the increase by 20.7 percent in US tourists’ arrival, defying the warnings.
Measures to lure tourists:
Kenya’s key tourism activities have been facing difficulties due to poor infrastructure and Kenya tourist board (KTB) is taking measures to improve its resorts, hotels, lodges and roads with attention to improve the aviation in particular. KTB has also introduced new technologies wherein tourists have to sign in and out using smart cards to build a database instantly. With these measures, KTB is expecting the number of tourist arrivals in the country will hit the 5 million mark by 2012. The country is likely to reap great benefits from tourism revenue that will indisputably boost the economy of Kenya and will provide ample funds to government to take measures against penury.
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Source: Reuters
