Tourism, interior ministries partner to boost visitor security ahead of 5 million tourists goal

The Ministries of Tourism and Wildlife, along with the Interior Ministry, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation with the National Police Service (NPS) and promote a positive travel experience for domestic and international tourists.

The MoU is also expected to expand the tourism sector and unlock more job opportunities in the country.

The agreement was signed on Thursday, during a ceremony at Harambee House, Nairobi, led by Tourism Cabinet Secretaries Rebecca Miano and Interior CS Kithure Kindiki.

Kindiki stressed the importance of security for both local and international tourists, noting that it is essential for the growth of the tourism sector.

He said the Tourism Police Unit (TPU) will play a critical role in ensuring the safety of tourists, with the unit being supported by the Tourism Fund for operations and capacity building. However, Kindiki said, the overall management of the TPU will remain under the NPS.

The CS also acknowledged the stagnation in Kenya’s tourist numbers over the past four decades, with yearly arrivals fluctuating between 1.5 and 2 million.

He said the Kenya Kwanza administration will change this, setting ambitious targets to increase tourist arrivals to 5 million by 2027 and 10 million by 2032.

“For about 40 years, the number of foreign nationals visiting Kenya has remained between 1.5 and 2 million. We are punching way below our weight. It is possible to surpass this under-2-million figure and our administration's goal is to achieve 5 million tourists by 2027. Going into the next phase of our administration, we should target 10 million by 2032,” Kindiki said.

He added that this year's tourist arrivals are projected to reach 3 million, a significant increase from previous years.

Tourism CS Rebecca Miano hailed the MoU as timely, coinciding with Tourism Week, which focuses on peace and security.

She said the agreement will enhance training, equipping and resourcing in the tourism sector.

“Before any tourist chooses a destination, the first thing on their checklist is security. This MoU will help us provide confidence that security arrangements in Kenya are top-notch. As we plan to increase the number of tourists to 5 million by 2025, we want to assure visitors that their security is well taken care of,” Miano said.

Kindiki further highlighted the importance of collaboration across government ministries, saying that interministerial cooperation is essential for delivering on the country's objectives.

“There is only one government, which is why interministerial collaboration is crucial. The Interior Ministry cannot achieve its goals without support from other ministries,” he said.

The Inspector General of the National Police Service, Douglas Kanja, witnessed the signing of the MoU, which will be reviewed after five years.

Also in attendance were Internal Security and National Administration Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo, Tourism PS John Ololtuaa, Deputy Inspector-General Eliud Lagat and other senior officials from the Ministries of Interior, National Administration and Wildlife and Tourism.