The Tourism Fund in partnership with various institutions across the country has embarked on training practicing hoteliers to upgrade their skills.
In the interim, the training will also target other stakeholders in the tourism sector on best practices to attract tourists to their facilities.
According to Tourism Fund Board of Trustees Chairperson Samson Some, the trainings that are to be held across the country are meant to help the players in the tourism industry up their game.
Mr Some observed that many people in the hospitality section have learnt on the job hence the need to upgrade them.
He was speaking at the Kisumu National Polytechnic where over 400 students graduated after short courses offered by the fund during a function attended by the county executive committee member in charge of education Mr John Awiti and the polytechnic’s Deputy Principal Mr Tom Oswago.
He said several people are talented but lack the requisite skills to upscale their operations.
Some said that the country was facing stiff challenges from its East African neighbours, hence the need to offer quality training to hoteliers on ways to improve standards for tourism.
Mr Some regretted that while Uganda and Tanzania were building their tourism numbers, Kenya, on the other hand, was having its numbers declining.
The Tourism Fund Chairman added that the training was meant to ensure that local and international tourists take Kenya as their preferred global destination.
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“The training is part of the Fund giving back to stakeholders for paying the levies because many hotels in the area are now compliant in paying the levy after several stakeholders’ meetings were organized for them by the Fund,” said Some
Awiti lauded the fund for the initiative saying it should be upscaled.
He added that practising hoteliers, when given training, should aspire to expand and make Kisumu County a place where tourists can come to sample different areas like the Western Kenya tourism circuit.
He urged more practicing hoteliers to enroll on such courses noting that it is for their own benefit at the end of the day.
The over 400 graduates were awarded certificates after completing the training that covered customer care, guest relations, and interpersonal relations, among other topics.
By Fredrick Odiero
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