The Mt Kenya Times 
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano
The Cabinet Secretary toured the Maasai Mara Friday to assess facility readiness as peak season visitor numbers hit their annual high.
By Waithaka Kariuki
Hotels and lodges across Kenya’s major tourism circuits are operating at full capacity as the country enters the peak wildebeest migration season, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano confirmed Friday.
Miano made the disclosure after touring the Maasai Mara National Reserve as part of the Ministry’s nationwide monitoring of the hospitality sector, saying facilities at the Coast, Central Kenya and the Mara were all turning away visitors due to overwhelming demand from both domestic and international tourists.
Her visit focused on assessing facility preparedness and service delivery standards as thousands of visitors converge on the Mara to witness one of the world’s great wildlife spectacles — the annual crossing of the Mara River by hundreds of thousands of wildebeest.
The Cabinet Secretary said the Government was enforcing responsible wildlife-viewing and conservation protocols in areas experiencing the heaviest visitor traffic, particularly around the river crossings, to protect wildlife corridors and limit the ecological impact of the tourism surge.
“To everyone visiting Kenya today, thank you for choosing Magical Kenya for your adventure,” Miano said.
She said the high occupancy figures recorded across the country’s tourism circuits demonstrated Kenya’s sustained appeal as a leading international destination, and pledged that the Government would continue working with hospitality stakeholders to uphold service standards while protecting the natural assets that drive the industry.
Miano also used the occasion to encourage Kenyans to visit national parks, game reserves and community conservancies during the peak season, urging them to support local businesses and engage with the country’s cultural heritage.
The nationwide monitoring programme is designed to ensure tourism facilities remain adequately prepared while advancing the Ministry’s broader sustainable tourism agenda.
With the Maasai Mara drawing visitors from across the world during the migration season, the reserve remains one of Kenya’s most economically significant tourism assets, contributing directly to local livelihoods and national foreign exchange earnings.
Miano said the sector must continue striking a balance between capitalising on growing visitor numbers and responsible stewardship of the ecosystems and communities that make Kenya a destination of choice.
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