BARCELONA, Spain – At the recently concluded 121st session of the UN Tourism Executive Council in Barcelona, Kenya reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the United Nations’ agenda for tourism growth and sustainability.
Chaired by Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Tourism, Ahmed Al Khateeb, the session saw Kenya advocate for enhanced collaboration and resource mobilization to fortify the organization amid ongoing global economic challenges.
Tourism, which ranks as the world’s fifth-largest export-earning category as of the end of 2022, is a critical sector for many nations.
Speaking on behalf of Kenya, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua emphasized the nation’s dedication to leveraging global tourism trends to bolster its economic development.
“Global tourism is fully recovering from the effects of the pandemic, with many destinations surpassing pre-Covid benchmarks. Kenya is poised to align with global trends to harness the sector’s potential,” stated Mutua.
He underscored Kenya’s commitment to working closely with the UN Tourism and member states to ensure tourism remains a pivotal economic driver.
Mutua called for innovative funding strategies and partnerships with other UN agencies, including UN-Habitat and the private sector, to sustain the momentum of tourism growth.
He highlighted various UN Tourism programs that Kenya aims to leverage, including capacity building, community-based tourism, artificial intelligence, innovation, education, and product promotion.
Addressing the need for predictable budgeting and financing, Mutua stressed the importance of regularizing the election cycle and addressing membership fee non-compliance to enable UN Tourism to effectively support regional initiatives and workshops.
In a significant move, Kenya was elected to chair the UN Tourism’s Committee on Tourism Competitiveness until 2027.
This role will see Kenya lead efforts to utilize global data, research, case studies, and partnerships to enhance both global and national tourism policies and strategies.
The country is particularly focused on ensuring the representation of African and developing countries’ interests on the global tourism stage.
UN Tourism Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili echoed the call for increased regional cooperation, with planned joint meetings between the Americas and Africa in 2024.
Kenya will participate in the Africa talks scheduled for July 2024 in Zambia, further solidifying its leadership role in the sector.
