Kenya’s Najib Balala feted 2019 WTTC Global Champion Award

Kenya’s tourism minister, Hon. Najib Balala has been awarded the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Champion at the 2019 Global Summit in Seville, Spain, for his country’s work on Social Impact.

The annual WTTC Global Champion Awards recognize public officials or countries that, through their leadership, have made a difference through unique public policies and initiatives that have increased the Competitiveness of the sector within their countries.

The WTTC Global Champion Award for Social Impact recognizes leadership in enabling gender equality and diversity; engaging local communities and making the sector more attractive for future generations.
CS Balala is currently the longest-serving Minister in the Kenyan Cabinet, with thirteen (13) of experience as a Minister serving in different portfolios – eight (8) of which in the Tourism sector.

Hon. Najib and his Ministerial team are credited with steering Kenya’s tourism sector to recovery. He has played a significant role in boosting growth and stability in the Kenyan and regional tourism sector, working closely with private and institutional investors, with conservation and regional development agencies to ensure that the economic potential of this vital sector was both prudently and sustainably-managed.

This was best exemplified by the recording-setting tourism performance in 2018 of over 2 million international arrivals, which was endorsed by President & CEO of WTTC, Ms. Gloria Guevara in Nairobi, where she symbolically released the WTTC Economic Impact Research 2019 for Africa recently.

In 2018, Travel & Tourism grew 5.6 per cent to contribute KSHS 790 billion and 1.1 million jobs to the Kenyan economy. This rate of growth is faster than the global average of 3.9 per cent and the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 3.3 per cent. This makes Kenya the third largest tourism economy in Sub- Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria, both of which grew substantially less than Kenya in 2018.

In total, international tourists spent over KSHS 157 billion in Kenya last year, accounting for over 15% of total exports. The largest inbound international markets were the USA (11%); UK (9%); India (6%); China (4%); and Germany (4%). Combined with domestic spending, Travel & Tourism supported 8.8% of the nation’s GDP in 2018.

CS Balala is focused on improving and modernizing Kenya’s wildlife conservation sector, under the banner KENYANS FOR WILDFLIFE & WILDLIFE FOR KENYANS, since it has a direct impact on the tourism sector – of which 70% is wildlife-based. Thus, wildlife is key to the success of our tourism sector.

Importantly, most of Kenya’s wildlife is found outside its protected areas and it is imperative to empower the local communities, who cohabit with this national heritage, to be better custodians and stewards of wildlife conservation through community-driven conservancies. Significantly, communities are placed as the key to the strategy and programme in Kenya’s new National Wildlife Strategy (NWS) 2030, which aims to enhance the capacities of local communities for the mutual benefit of both the communities and protected area managers.

Furthermore, Hon. Balala’s Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife, through its State Corporation Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), is positively implementing the affirmative action of increasing the numbers of female Wildlife Rangers, in line with Kenyan government’s gender mainstreaming policy.

Upon receiving the award, Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said, “This award is not only a win for the Ministry, tourism and wildlife sectors, but is also an endorsement of Magical Kenya’s efforts to make tourism, wildlife sustainable and ensure that both directly benefits our local communities, who are the custodians and stewards of both our tourism and wildlife resources.”

According to Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC Travel & Tourism is a sector which is proven to drive economic growth, jobs creation and boost social inclusion.

“I am delighted to recognise the work of Cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife from the Government of Kenya, Hon. Najib Balala, in promoting community-based tourism as a way of allowing local people to more effectively engage with tourism issues; and promoting youth activities in wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship,” she added.