Mombasa: The Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) is calling for increased investment and policy reform in the tourism sector, to help the country achieve its ambitious target of five million international tourists by 2027. Speaking at the 21st Annual KAHC Symposium in Mombasa, themed ‘Toward 5 Million,’ KAHC National Chairman, Chris Musau, urged stakeholders to diversify tourism offerings and develop niche products to attract a broader market. He emphasized the need to strengthen tourism policy and regulatory frameworks to align with emerging global trends.

According to Kenya News Agency, data from the Tourism Research Institute showed that Kenya welcomed 2.4 million international tourists in 2024, an increase of 15 percent from the previous year. Correspondingly, tourism revenue rose by 19.8 percent, from Sh377.49 billion in 2023 to Sh452.20 billion in 2024. The Government was urged to license more chartered planes to Mombasa and Nairobi, not to shield the national carrier, Kenya Airways, from competition. However, Musau acknowledged that the uncertainties in politics affect the industry, as the recurring protests are a clawback to the gains made in the tourism sector, as the country’s reputation is irrevocably harmed.

The Government was urged to engage in dialogue with the protesting youths to address their grievances, as businesses in the Central Business District are at stake. ‘Government should sit with these young people and talk to them, but you cannot use force, it can never work,’ he stated, adding that when they market the country, they are asked about the demonstrations but have no answers. He emphasized that the stakeholders want stability, as the country has great potential to attract more tourists, and its reputation shouldn’t be compromised.

KAHC’s CEO, Mike Macharia, noted that the major enabler of achieving the five million tourists is Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism. He urged the government to bid to host more international conferences and to construct another convention center to complement the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi. ‘We can do a private-public partnership, and we have a very big space at the Bomas of Kenya, where we can put up a proper convention centre. We can put up the infrastructure to get there in and out,’ stated Macharia.

He further exhorted the government to put an end to the endless cycle of violence through dialogue with the young people to understand their issues and come up with a middle ground on how to develop the country. ‘We cannot develop an economy without the youth. We need the youth to take over when we are going away. We need stability and peace in the country,’ he said.

The Government was commended for improving the transport network across the country, enabling the seamless movement of tourists. County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Culture and Tourism Mohamed Osman affirmed that the five million target can be achieved by 2026. He urged the government to fully implement the open sky policy to attract more tourists to the country. ‘We have seen the results of an open sky policy; we have seen why Zanzibar, sharing the same demographics and culture with Mombasa, can receive 800,000 tourists. It’s time we walk the talk and allow direct flights to Mombasa,’ Osman said.