Rebecca Miano officially took over as Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife on Wednesday, succeeding Dr. Alfred Mutua.
The handover ceremony, held at the Ministry’s headquarters in NSSF House, marks a new chapter in Kenya’s tourism and wildlife sectors.
Dr. Mutua, who has been at the helm of the Ministry, expressed gratitude for the support he received during his tenure. He highlighted significant achievements, including revitalizing Kenya’s image as a premier tourist destination and the success of the Utalii Mashinani initiative aimed at boosting local tourism. Under his leadership, strides were made in addressing human-wildlife conflict and conserving the nation’s biodiversity.
In her remarks, Miano acknowledged the strong foundation laid by her predecessor and expressed enthusiasm about advancing Kenya’s tourism and wildlife sectors. She outlined her vision, which includes operationalizing Ronald Ngala Utalii College to enhance hospitality training, revising classification standards for hospitality facilities, and promoting domestic tourism. Miano also emphasized the role of modern technology in boosting tourist numbers and enhancing visitor experiences.
Key priorities for Miano include updating the National Tourism Policy, enhancing tourist security, and supporting the bottom-up economic model to ensure equitable distribution of tourism benefits. She also plans to focus on addressing human-wildlife conflict and leveraging innovative approaches to position Kenya as a leading global tourist destination.
Miano expressed her gratitude to the Ministry’s team and Principal Secretaries Sylvia Museiya and John Ololtuaa for their support. She assured them of her commitment to building on the Ministry’s achievements and elevating Kenya’s status as a top travel destination.
With a vision to transform Kenya into the “Shangri-La of Africa,” Miano’s leadership promises to bring fresh perspectives and dynamic strategies to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, setting the stage for a promising future.