The Tourism Fund has embarked on training hoteliers and other stakeholders in the tourism sector on best practices to attract tourists to their facilities.
According to Tourism Fund Board of Trustees chair Samson Some, the trainings that are to be held across the country are meant to help the players in the tourism industry up their game.
He said that the country was facing stiff challenges from its East African neighbours, hence the need to offer quality training to hoteliers on ways to improve on standards for tourism.
Mr. Some regretted that while Uganda and Tanzania were building their tourism numbers, Kenya, on the other hand, was having its numbers declining.
Speaking in Nyahururu town, where hoteliers and stakeholders in the tourism sector from Laikipia and Nyandarua were trained, the Tourism Fund Chairman added that the training was also meant to ensure that local and international tourists take Kenya as their preferred destination globally.
“The training is part of the Fund giving back to stakeholders for paying the levies because many hotels in the area are now compliant in paying the levy after several stakeholders’ meetings organized for them by the Fund,” said Some
Nyandarua County Tourism Chief Officer Samuel Gitaka implored the Fund to partner with the County Government on mapping out tourism sites in the county to enhance tourism.
He added that small businesses, when given such training, should aspire to expand and make Nakuru a place tourists can come to sample different kinds of food, like in Barcelona, Spain, which is a destination for food tourism.
About 120 workers and 56 directors drawn from various hotels in both Nyandarua and Laikipia were awarded certificates after completing the training that covered customer care, guest relations, and interpersonal relations, among other topics.
Hotel owners in the region were also urged to help the government in the fight against illicit brews and drug pushing.
By Antony Mwangi
