Mapping 3 wildlife corridors for restoration among key interventions, Says CS Miano
The Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff (DCoS), Performance and Delivery Management was this morning hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife at KICC, Nairobi.
The Ministry shared significant achievements and made commitments aligned with the Government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
Mapping 3 wildlife corridors for restoration among key interventions, Says CS Miano
Growth in International Visitors Kenya
● The number of international arrivals increased by 48.6% from 1.4million in 2022 to 2.08 million in 2024.
● Correspondingly, tourism earnings grew from KShs 268 billion in 2022 to KShs 352 billion in 2024 representing a 31.5% increase Growth in Domestic Tourism
● Domestic Tourism saw a growth in bed nights by 23.1% from 7.01million in 2022 to 8.63 million in 2024.
● Correspondingly, conference capacity utilization improved by 1.3% from 9.9% in 2022 to 11.2% in 2024 Rise in Number of Visitors to National Parks and Game Reserves
● The number of visitors to national parks and game reserves has increased by 43% from 2.5 million in 2022 to 3.6 million in 2024
● Revenue collections made by KWS also grew by 43% from KShs 2.35 billion in 2022 to KShs 7.66 billion in 2024. This is also attributable to the onboarding of services to eCitizen.
Improved Wildlife Conservation
● As a result of wildlife conservation activities, the number of black rhinos grew by 4.3% from 963 in 2022 to 1,004 in 2024.
● One Rhino Salient Sanctuary in Aberdare National Park was rehabilitated towards increasing endangered species numbers.
Mapping 3 wildlife corridors for restoration among key interventions, Says CS Miano
Key Commitments aligned with the BETA Agenda
The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife committed to carry out the following interventions in the Financial Year 2024/2025:
Wildlife Protection Conservation and Management that will entail:
● Mapping 3 wildlife corridors for restoration
o Amboseli – Kitenden corridor
o Laikipia – Lariak Forest Corridor
o Nairobi National Park – Athi Kapiti Corridor
● Developing the Human Wildlife Conflict Guidelines
● Developing the National Wildlife Strategy 2030 Action Plan II 2024 -2027 Coordination and Governance of the Wildlife Sector Governance that will involve;
● Review of four Memoranda of Understanding between:
o Kenya – Ethiopia,
o Kenya – Angola,
o Kenya – India and
o Kenya – Uganda (covering Mt. Elgon Ecosystem)
● Gazettement of three Management Plans
o Mbokishi Conservancy
o Mara Ripoi Conservancy and
o Mbale Conservancy
● Review of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act 2013 and submit it to Cabinet.
Domesticate and Implement Wildlife Multilateral Agreements and Related Processes
● Host the 5th meeting of Signatories for the Convention on Migratory Species, (CMS) – Sharks Memorandum of Understanding
● Implement resolutions of the East African Community Sectoral Council meeting of Tourism and Wildlife Management Human-Wildlife Conflicts Management and Claims Compensation in order to mitigate conflicts and provide financial relief to wildlife affected persons. This will be
done by:
● Capacity building County Wildlife Conservation Committees on Human-Wildlife Conflict in all Counties
● Piloting and digitising Human-Wildlife Conflict claims data collection in hotspot Counties (Laikipia, Taita Taveta, Meru, Kajiado, Narok and Baringo)
● Developing Human-Wildlife Conflict compensation claims database in Laikipia, Taita Taveta, Meru, Kajiado, Narok and Baringo Counties Combating Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trafficking by
● Training Kenya Wildlife Service and National Government, Administration Officers as Law Enforcement Agencies on combating poaching and wildlife trafficking
● Developing the National Strategy on Combating Poaching and Illegal Wildlife Trafficking
Increase Tourist Arrivals and Earnings
For FY 2024/25, the Ministry commits to increase the arrivals to 2.5 million and the corresponding tourism earnings to KShs 430 billion.
Mapping 3 wildlife corridors for restoration among key interventions, Says CS Miano
Increase Domestic Bed-nights
The Ministry commits to increasing domestic bed-nights to 5 million in the current financial year.
Develop and Promote Tourism Niche Products by:
● Mapping tourism niche products in 15 Counties:
o Meru, Murang’a, Nyeri, Tharaka Nithi, Kericho, Nakuru, Lamu, Mombasa,Tana River, Turkana, Uasin Gishu, Garissa, Bomet, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kisii and Kisumu
● Diversifying and promoting five new tourism niche products:o Agri-tourism, Cultural Adventure, Avi-tourism, Gastronomy and Sports
● Developing an annual calendar of tourism events (domestic and International)
● Developing and launching a domestic tourism campaign strategy Tourism Legal and Legislative Reforms
● Review the Tourism Policy
● Review the Tourism Promotion Fund Regulations 2019
● Review the Tourism Act Cap 381
● Develop the Tourism Strategy
Coastal Beach Management
● Enhance safety and security at Tiwi beach (Kwale County) by providing street
● lighting, establish and equip tourism security booths in collaboration with County Government of Kwale
● Capacity build 200 beach operators in Mombasa and Lamu Counties on safety and security and other tourism emerging issues
● Develop Code of Conduct for all beach operators
Speaking during the media briefing, wildlife and tourism cabinet secretary Rebecca Miano says “We want to increase tourism numbers to 2.5 million by the end of this year, and to 5 Million by the end of 2027. We are committed to diversify the tourism products that we have in the country, so that we are not only known for the beach and safari we have culture, sports tourism, agritourism and other niche products that we are working on some of which have been announced.”
Mapping 3 wildlife corridors for restoration among key interventions, Says CS Miano
She added “Under wildlife, we are enhancing efforts especially for human wildlife conflicts that are activating and ensuring that the community is also participating in conservation. We are reviewing our policies and our laws so that we can have a good legislative and policy environment.”
