In a coordinated response towards the recovery of the tourism sector in Kenya, a 17-member Taskforce has been formed under the direction of the Cabinet Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife Najib Balala.
In a press release issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, the Cabinet Secretary said,
“we have appointed a 17-member task-force to establish guidelines in response to COVID- 19. Some protocols are ready and some not yet. We urge every sector to come up with their own protocols. All these protocols must align with the Ministry of Health measures so that we can have safety and hygiene for our people.”
He added that the protocols will be common and the Standard Operating Procedures (S0Ps) will be localised so that when the Government eases the restrictions on the economy, the protocols will be in place for the sector.
The task-force encompasses the major stakeholders in the tourism and Hospitality sectors. The heads of the below entities constitute the taskforce.
State Department of Tourism
Chief Executive Officer: Kenya Association of Hord Keepers and Caterers
Chief Executive Officer: Kenya Association of Tour Operators
Chief Executive Officer: Pubs. Environment and Restaurants Association of Kenya
Chief Executive Officer: Kenya Association of Air Operators
Chief Executive Officer: Events Managcme111 Association of Kenya
Chief Executive Officer: Tour Operators Society of Kenya
Representative of Adventure Tourism
Chief Executive Officer: Retail Traders Association of Kenya
Chief Executive Officer: Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association
Chief Executive Officer: Kenya Professional Safari Guides Association
Director: Tourism Research. Policy and Innovation Directorate. State Department Tourism
Director-General: Tourism Regulatory Authority
Director-General: Kenya Civil Aviation Authority
Chief Executive Officer: Kenya Airports Authority
National Co-ordinator: Kenya National Convention Bureau
Three representatives of international airlines in Kenya
The committee is expected to develop the following guidelines to aid the opening of the sector.
The task-force will:
• Develop tourism and hospitality health and safety protocols
• Develop guidelines for the implementation of the protocols
• Propose implementation approach for the protocols
• Make recommendations for effective compliance and self-regulations of the industry ‘ in the implementation of the protocols
• Identify and recommend areas of support needed during implementation of the protocols
• Compile and submit 10 the Cabinet Secretary a Taskforce Report and the Draft Protocols
• Any other task assigned by the Cabinet Secretary to fulfil the objective for which taskforce has been established.
The Taskforce has been established following a series of consultations with different stakeholders of the industry.
Tourism being a cross-sectoral industry, these consultations were viral in order to align every other sub-sector that crosses paths with Tourism. From airlines. transport. accommodation. restaurants and many others, the Taskforce will ensure that these sub-sectors arc compliant with the protocols once the economy re-opens.
