Kenya on Tuesday, August 25, became the first country in the world to be awarded the recommended status of the Safer Tourism Resilience Seal by global body Rebuilding Travels.
The tourism agency singled out Kenya's commitment to creating a step by step process of a careful and a safe reopening and resumption of business in the tourism sector.
"The Kenyan Ministry of Tourism in discussions with Rebuilding Tourism has demonstrated that it understands that tourism surety involves training, education, investments in software and the understanding that security/surety is not a simplistic discipline.
Watch the video of Balala acknowledging the stamp below:
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"In an age of great change and challenges ranging from issues of health to security, the Kenyan ministry of tourism has demonstrated that it accepts the fact that its tourism personnel will have continual training and must be flexible enough to adjust their procedure to a constantly changing environment," the organisation noted.
Acknowledging the fete, Tourism CS Najib Balala stated that Kenya was determined to revive the sector that had been heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
"On behalf of my country, we are very grateful for the recognition. It has not been easy, but we have to be optimistic and think outside the box to stay competitive. Kenya is safer than before. We have put every effort in safety and health," he stated.
The global body further noted that the Ministry had created a safer tourism product that demonstrated to the visitor that the nation was doing everything possible to create a safe, secure and healthy environment by working with international agencies, by participating in regional agencies such as the African Tourism Board and by interacting with tourism security and wellbeing specialists.
"The Kenyan Ministry of tourism has indicated that it is taking proactive measures to assure visitors of the safest tourism experience possible. The Ministry well understands that no one can assure 100% safety and security and that no one shall fall ill. What it can do is provide the best tourism surety measures possible," reads a statement on the Safe Travels website.
Among the measures taken by the government include the creation and updating of its health and surety protocols on a timely and regional basis, following international social distancing guidelines both for staff and visitors, recommending the wearing of masks as well as paying special attention to transportation hubs such as airport terminals.
On July 1, Kenya was among the top destinations in Africa to receive the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) recognition.
The country was awarded the Safe Travel Stamp in recognition of the country's adoption of the global health and hygiene standardized protocols dubbed 'Safe Travels' in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The stamp allowed travellers to recognise Kenya as a safe destination when global travel resumed.
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