Nairobi — Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has stated that the sector has been recording high bookings despite the on-going protests witnessed across various parts of the country.

CS Mutua said the trends in new bookings have been on the rise, with only a few postponements of bookings mainly for events, noting that the sector is stable and ready for the peak season.

He assured that the government will streamline measures and policies to enhance safety and security, as well as provide support to foster the sector's growth.

"According to information gathered from our stakeholders our upward trends may have been slightly slowed down but we are lucky that we have not seen a major dent or cancellation as a result of what has been happening," he stated.

Mutua, however, warned that the youth-led demonstrations across the country will have a negative impact on the sector, leading to a reduction in national earnings and the loss of jobs, particularly for graduates aiming to join the tourism and wildlife sectors for their livelihood.

"The Tourism and Wildlife Sector is one of largest employers in our country with 80 percent of the employees being youth. When there is a disturbance in the sector, the sector suffers which means loss of jobs, and stoppage of new employment opportunities," he said.

In 2023, the tourism sector contributed Sh353 billion to the country's economy, with the sector eyeing Sh700 billion per year moving forward.

The sector also targets 3 million visitors this year, which will be an increase from the 2 million visitors recorded at the end of 2023.

"Our projection is to get to 3 million by the end of this year, 2024 and 5 million visitors in the next 2 to 3 years. The increase in numbers means more money for the country and many new jobs especially for our youths, and business growth," added Mutua.