Five nations, Kenya, Jamaica, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, and Angola, have formally committed to a transformative future for tourism.
The Nairobi Declaration, adopted during the Global Tourism Resilience Day at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), outlines a bold strategy to shield the industry from future shocks while ensuring it serves as a vehicle for social and environmental equity.
At the heart of the declaration is the establishment of regional Tourism Resilience Funds. These funds are designed to finance climate adaptation measures, acknowledging that the industry is both vulnerable to and a potential solution for the global climate crisis.
Crucially, the declaration shifts the spotlight onto the human element of the industry. It prioritizes women and youth as the primary drivers of this transformation, ensuring that local ownership and equitable benefit-sharing are no longer afterthoughts but core pillars of the sector’s evolution toward 2030.
During the summit, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, emphasized that the era of relying solely on traditional offerings is over. To build true resilience, the government is diversifying its portfolio:
- Product Expansion: Moving beyond wildlife safaris to include cultural, sports, and astronomy tourism.
- Technological Integration: Leveraging digital innovation in travel services.
- Community Links: Connecting youth and women-led enterprises to global markets and financing.
“Resilience must be inclusive. The role of governments is to link local communities and small businesses to financing and technology. Solitary action is as good as mute.” — Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary
The summit highlighted a significant shift toward data-driven governance. A key outcome of the event was a bilateral agreement between Kenya and Jamaica.
Under this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Jamaica—led by Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett—will support Kenya in developing an Artificial Intelligence tool specifically for:
- Crisis Detection: Identifying threats before they escalate.
- Forecasting: Predicting market shifts and environmental risks.
- Resilience Management: Streamlining recovery efforts through data.
The declaration moves beyond sustainable tourism to regenerative tourism. This model seeks to leave destinations better than they were found. Key priorities include:
- Biodiversity Protection: Safeguarding wildlife and natural habitats.
- Cultural Heritage: Preserving indigenous traditions as foundational assets.
- Workforce Development: Investing in crisis-response competencies for local workers.
Find the Nairobi Declaration HERE.