Utilise tourism window, firms urged

Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers (KAHC) CEO Mike Macharia (R). Mr Macharia says non of the association's members have received clients under the new policy window. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• In Tuesday’s press advertisement, the tourism board told corporates that the window was open up to July 1, 2015 and that they should use it to send their staff on holidays.
• “This is a process... corporates have to entrench it in their systems,” said KTB managing director Mureithi Ndegwa.
• Questions, however, linger. “How many corporates take their staff on holidays? Some take their staff for team building sessions. This, perhaps, should have been the area that the incentives should have concentrated on,” Mr Macharia said.

By MWANIKI WAHOME

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Corporates should take advantage of the new tourism policy window to cushion the sector from collapse, following adverse travel advisories by Europe and America.

The Kenya Tourism Board’s plea comes as players in the industry say the incentives announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta in May have not yielded sufficient numbers of visitors. Other players say the incentives were not well-thought out.

“This policy window has failed to increase the number of local tourists. The idea was good but more research should have been done before it was announced. None of our members has registered tourists on account of these incentives,” said Mr Mike Macharia of Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers.

SEND STAFF ON HOLIDAYS

In Tuesday’s press advertisement, the tourism board told corporates that the window was open up to July 1, 2015 and that they should use it to send their staff on holidays.

“In May, President Kenyatta announced a stimulus package to aid the recovery of the tourism sector. The package was designed as a tax incentive for corporate and business entities to encourage their employees to take holidays, thus boosting domestic tourism. The incentive, however, has a limited window and ceases to apply on July 1, 2015. Employers are advised to take advantage of this window,” the advertisement said.

KTB, however, said the incentives would take time to benefit the sector.

“This is a process... corporates have to entrench it in their systems,” said KTB managing director Mureithi Ndegwa.

Questions, however, linger. “How many corporates take their staff on holidays? Some take their staff for team building sessions. This, perhaps, should have been the area that the incentives should have concentrated on,” Mr Macharia said.