World Tourism Day

Governor John Mruttu's Speech during World Tourism Day held on 27 September 2014 at Moi Stadium - Voi.

Tourism secretary Dr Anne kinyua

Hon MPs jones mlolwa

CECS present eng mbogho

MCAs

CEO Brand Kenya Mrs Mary Kimonye

Secretary General kenya commission for Unesco Dr Eva Njoka

PRINCIPAL Utalii College Dr Keneth Ombungi

BOmas of Kenya representative

KWS officers

National and County Governments officials

Council of Elders Njavungo

Tourism stakeholders

Participants

Ladies and Gentlemen


It is my great pleasure to be part of this national function marking the national tourism week and also the world tourism day.



We feel honoured for being given the opportunity to host this prestigious event whose theme is Tourism and Community Development. I therefore wish to take this opportunity to express the gratitude of the people of Taita Taveta County for being given this opportunity.



I would like to challenge the business community to position themselves to take opportunity of such events and create products and services that can be consumed by visitors and the local community. I expected that, each one of us would have organized and marketed a special function last nite or tonite which I have no doubt would have attracted many of the visitors and also the local people.



There is no doubt that as a county, we have invested big time on tourism assets. More than 11000 sq km of f land is the Tsavo conservation area which is home to more than 12000 elephants as well as huge herds of buffallo, zebra, girrafe, gazelle and other mammals. I am not aware of any other county or country in the World which has set aside more than 62% of its land for conservation purposes. The Mbololo hills, Ngangao forest and Sagalla hills are home to unique species of flora and fauna including birds, plants and other living creatures not found anywhere else in the country and the world.

There are 2500 classified hotel beds and 700 unclassified hotel beds in the county.



However, there is a very strong feeling in the community that despite such massive investments in conservation and tourism facilities, the people of this county feel marginalized and have not seen the benefits proportional to the investment. In fact, the situation has been made worse by the perennial human wildlife conflicts where wildlife frequently kill and maim our people, destroy our crops as well as killing our livestock.



It is therefore the desire of my government to reposition this county to ensure that benefits from our natural resources start flowing to our citizens. While recognizing the traditional tourism products associated with wildlife, it is important to note that not all domestic and international tourists are attracted by those products and we must start offering other products that are unique to Taita Taveta county. We must be alive to the fact that, other countries like south Africa have also started offering safari like products and at the moment they are doing better than us. We must therefore change tact if we are to reclaim our position as the destination of choice for all visitors to Africa. I therefore urge that the National government and all agencies to work closely with our county to package and market some of the unique tourism products for the benefit of the people of this great nation.



In this regard I am happy to announce that we have already entered into partnership with Nationa l Museum of Kenya to help us identify, reconstruct and conserve our historical sites. Through this partnership, we expect to conserve the Kenyatta caves, Wray museum, Kasigau fort, Mwashuma fort as well Salaita hill and others that will be identified later. As you are aware some of these sites are associated with World War 1. These are but just a few of the sites we expect to be offering to the tourism industry. I am also happy to note the remarks by Secretary General of Kenya commission for UNESCO on how some of these sites can be included in the world heritage sites. I want to assure you Madam Njoka that we shal l work together to realize the dream of protecting our historical sites. I wish to confirm our participation in the national functions in Nairobi.



As we continue to prepare new products for the market, I would like to urge our citizens to open up our homes in our usual hospitable manner and embrace Homestay Tourism. Very many of our homes have empty room which can be offered to visitors. Embracing home stay tourism will allow us to increase our capacity for receiving visitors without putting up new tourist hotels. It is also allows a speedy transfer of tourism revenues to mwananchi.

Very many visitors wish to have an opportunity to learn how we live, the foods we eat as well as our music and dances. Homestay tourism gives them that opportunity and I am aware that there is a great interest in this tourism product.



The county government will therefore commit resources to facilitate homestay tourism by creating an online portal for registering everybody who is willing to host visitors. We will also aim to create a linkage with our local hotels in this regard. I am encouraged by comments from Tourism Secretary that this is an area that presents an opportunity for collaboration to make.



As I finish, I would like to underscore that the tourism assets in this county, have the potential to contribute immensely in the socio and economic development of this county and country. I therefore urge all stakeholders from the two levels of government and the private sector to work together in order to develop this sector for the benefit of our people.