A brief overview of the tourism sector in Kenya
Although tourism has been and continues to be an important source of revenue
for Kenya, and a source of livelihood for many, its dynamics have changed in
the wake of terrorism and increased competition. The tourism industry in Kenya
has suffered from the issuance of travel advisories by foreign governments in
the last two to three years as these advisories resulted in a reduction of foreign
tourists, which in turn led to the closing down of hotels and the laying off
of staff. The country also faces increased competition from alternative tourist
destinations such as South Africa, the Far East and Asia.
Despite these challenges, the industry recorded a boom in 2004. The industry
is however still very vulnerable to the dynamics affecting global tourism and
the players realise the need to bolster the economy against this volatility.
Both the government and the industry players are responding to this challenge
by increasing marketing activity, targeting tourists from diverse locations
and providing incentives for local tourists amongst other efforts.
To meet the current demand and to strategically place themselves for the future,
individual players are investing in and making internal changes to their businesses
to increase their capacity and improve their processes. This growth increases
business needs and requires a professional services partner.
PricewaterhouseCoopers acts as auditor and adviser to a number of the main
hotel chains and tour companies operating in Kenya.
