Discussion Paper No. 308 of 2023 on Unlocking Tourism Potential in Arid and Semi-Arid Counties of Kenya

Abstract

Kenya’s tourism activities are concentrated in Nairobi and coastal regions despite the existence of unique attraction cites and cultural events organised in ASAL regions such as Chalbi desert and Turkana cultural festivals. Further majority of hotel accommodation are in Nairobi and Mombasa accounting for 57.8 per cent of total bed available in the country. The study assessed the status of tourism destination competitiveness in ASAL Counties of Kenya and to reviewed the current policies that support tourism development in Kenya with a view to enhancing tourism potential in ASALs. The study used the distance to frontier methodology to calculate the Tourism Competitiveness Index. The study found out that arid counties are performing poorly in terms of tourism marketing, infrastructure, hygiene and security. The study recommends that there is need for proper marketing mostly through social media, enhancement of infrastructure, adoption of new security policies and procedures as well as ensuring hotels have adequate hygiene and sanitation in order to enhance tourism competitiveness.