Starting a Tourism Business in Kenya

Kenya’s tourism sector is a thriving growth industry, and presents many excellent opportunities for investment. Despite the low performance in this market, due to the political disputes, following the elections of 2007, the industry is recovering tremendously with great potential for growth. Kenya encourages both local and foreign investment in tourism, as a means of creating employment opportunities while expanding the tourism infrastructure.

We actively encourage investment in Kenyan tourism by promoting investment into a varied range of locations.

We support the development of Community and Eco-Tourism. These are projects that protect natural and cultural resources and equitably share products with those communities with which they work.

Investment opportunities:

-Hotels

-Restaurants

-Tour Operators and expanding an existing Tourism Business

-Athletic Tourism

ECO AND COMMUNITY TOURIST PROJECTS

Community based tourism and eco tourism is a growing sector in Kenya and accounts for 5% of the global tourism market. It is growing at a rate of 20-30% annually.  Increasing numbers of tourists want to interact with local communities and they want to stay in places that positively impact on both the environment and the local population.

Throughout Kenya there is growing awareness of the benefits of community based tourism projects. Indeed many projects have already begun with great success.

Eco Tourism in Kerio Valley

The Kerio Valley is located in the Rift Valley province of Kenya. At a high elevation of 1,000 meters, the Kerio valley is between the Tugen Hills and Elgeyo escarpment. The great Kerio river flows northward to Lake Turkana, making it the longest river in Kenya.

Though this region known for producing world class Olympic athletes, and can be seen by astronauts from space, it has not yet received the recognition for its beauty and breath taking vistas. As interest in the Kerio Valley is building, keen investors are highly encouraged to discover a grand region of opportunity.

For more information:

• Contact the tourism assistant at the Embassy
• Ministry of Tourism website at http://www.tourism.go.ke
• About investment opportunities in the Kerio Valley: http://www.regional-dev.go.ke/kvda/dams.htm

LICENSING IN THE TOURISM SECTOR

To be able to operate in the tourism Industry in Kenya, you need to obtain a license, which is regulated by two Acts of Parliament. Namely: the Hotels and Restaurants Act (Cap 494) and the Tourist Industry Licensing Act (Cap 381).

Access more information at: http://www.tourism.go.ke/ministry.nsf/pages/licencing