Miano Urges Kenyans to Embrace Domestic Tourism as 2025 Jamhuri Week Launches
The event in the capital seeks to highlight Kenya’s rich tourism, wildlife, and cultural heritage, besides showcasing the economic might of the industry.
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano called on Kenyans to make full utilization of the festive season to visit destinations across the country, as domestic tourism remains a key driver to the economy of Kenya. While addressing participants at the official launch of the 2025 Thematic Jamhuri Week for Tourism, Wildlife, and Heritage in Nairobi on Monday, Miano urged citizens to “get their bucket lists ready,” citing that travelling locally has the potential to revitalize the sector and further cement nationalistic pride.
Running for a week, the event in the capital seeks to highlight Kenya’s rich tourism, wildlife, and cultural heritage, besides showcasing the economic might of the industry. The programme this year features exhibitions, cultural performances, interactive showcases, and policy dialogues that are expected to attract thousands of participants from across the country.
“This is not a day for keynote speeches; we are here to launch a dramatic week,” she noted, applauding Nairobi as the country’s political, economic, and tourism gateway. She pointed out the significance of the city as a pivotal hub of travel and investment, notably in the Magical Kenya brand.
Miano praised the Nairobi County government for aligning with the tourism-wildlife theme, reaffirming the importance that the sector is to the national economy. In 2024, tourism accounted for close to 10 per cent of Kenya’s GDP, earning more than Sh452 billion and over three million jobs in hospitality, conservation and travel services.
She emphasized the need for effective cooperation with stakeholders in the private sector, better coordination within government agencies, and greater community involvement-particularly in ecotourism and cultural tourism-so that local communities can directly benefit from tourism growth.
Domestic tourism has also continued to post an excellent performance; over five million local visits were recorded in 2024 alone, a figure she believes is even higher when accounting for stays in unregistered facilities, such as homestays and short-term rental units like Airbnbs.
Miano further applauded the increasing role of the youth in shaping the future of tourism through digital storytelling, travel content creation, festivals, and road trip culture. She went on to announce that the ministry is setting up a Youth Hub for Tourism and Conservation, which would inspire innovation, offer training, and amplify the participation of young people in the sector. The 2025 Thematic Jamhuri Week is expected to run throughout the week with activities celebrating Kenya’s natural beauty and heritage, and the industry’s growing investment opportunities.
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