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Kenya: Balala Seeks Sh1 Billion to Market Country
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The Nation (Nairobi)
21 July 2008
Posted to the web 21 July 2008
Nairobi
Tourism minister Najib Balala will request the Cabinet to grant him Sh1 billion annually to market the country as a top tourist destination.
Mr Balala said that he has already prepared a Cabinet paper for the request and would table it before the next cabinet meeting.
He said that the money would be invested in marketing tourism only, noting that the country was not being felt in the tourism circles like South Africa and Egypt.
"South Africa is using 64 million dollars to market itself as a tourist destination, you can feel their presence in international tourism circles," said Mr Balala.
He said that the Government through his ministry has entered into a contract with CNN to advertise the country as a product.
CNN contract
"We are currently branding and we do not want to talk about past issues like the post-election violence in our marketing strategies," said the minister adding that the contract with CNN is scheduled to kick off in October.
The minister made the remarks over the weekend when he officiated the opening of the newly refurbished Bombolulu workshop and cultural centre for the handicapped in Mombasa.
He said that it was important for the image of the country to be put into the minds of tourists.
The minister said that the number of tourists visiting the country was low compared to Egypt, South Africa and Spain yet the country is blessed with diverse products such as beaches, safaris and culture.
He decried poor infrastructure and uncollected garbage as some of the factors making the Coast region lose out to Zanzibar and Mauritius.
Incurred loss
APDK chairperson at the coast Mr Zulfikar Harunani said that Bombolulu workshop incurred a loss of Sh2.5 million during the post poll violence but said that none of its staff majority of who are handicapped was laid off.
Kenya Tourism Trust Federation chairperson Lucy Karumes called on the Government to ensure that sidewalks and ramps are put in place to aid their movement.
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Others who were also present during the ceremony were European Union head of delegation Mr Eric van der Linden, Tourism Trust Fund chief executive officer Dr Dan Kagagi and the Mombasa district commissioner Abdi Hassan among other players from the tourism industry.
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