Kenya aiming to attract more tourists with focus on culture

NAIROBI - The east African nation of Kenya is aiming to promote its culture to the outside world in a bid to draw in more visitors.

In a recent interview with the Daily Nation newspaper, the deputy director of the country’s National Museum, Athman Hussein, drew attention to Kenya’s rich cultural heritage and said it should be made more accessible to foreign holidaymakers.

Kenya’s Indian Ocean coastal region with its many historic towns and cities is one area where the government hopes to see more tourists in future. A study is being conducted in Taita and Taveta

close to Tsavo National Park to discover which historic and cultural sites are of most interest to non-Kenyans. A new museum is also in the planning stage for the area.

The indigenous Maasai people will also form part of the campaign with special emphasis to be put on their way of life. The government plans to use the annual Diani culture festival as a focal point for Maasai-interested foreigners.

The Gedi ruins north of Mombassa are already a popular tourist attraction and a forest near the resort of Diani, regarded as holy by surrounding villagers, has been made accessible to the public with the help of the non-governmental organisation, the World Wide Fund for Nature.