Nairobi, Kenya – The Kenyan government has introduced a new initiative requiring every tourist entering the country to pay Sh20 towards planting a tree. This innovative approach aims to bolster environmental conservation efforts and has been spearheaded by the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Alfred Mutua.
The announcement was made during a meeting hosted by the Australian Ambassador, Mrs. Jenny Da Rin, which also marked the arrival of the Australian tourism company, Intrepid, into the Kenyan market. Dr. Mutua explained that the government is implementing an action plan to ensure that each tourist plants a tree, contributing to the country’s reforestation goals.
“Our job as the government is to ensure that for every tourist, we plant a tree,” stated Dr. Mutua. “Through our tourism board, we have already started a process that will ensure tourists are informed about the requirement to plant a tree upon their arrival in Kenya.”
The tourism board will coordinate with hotels and Airbnb hosts to provide tree saplings to tourists as part of their accommodation package. These saplings will be handed over to tourists along with instructions on where to plant them. The Sh20 fee will cover the cost of the seedlings.
“When tourists stay at hotels or Airbnbs, they will be given seedlings to plant,” added Dr. Mutua. “Our aim is to ensure that for every tourist, we plant a tree, and ideally, they will monitor the growth of the tree each time they visit Kenya.”
Dr. Mutua commended Intrepid for its plans to expand its market in East Africa, noting the company’s significant contribution to tourism in the region. Last year, Intrepid brought over 5,000 guests to various parts of East Africa. The company’s chairman, Darrell Wade, expressed their intention to increase the number of visitors and establish Nairobi as their headquarters for East African operations.
“Nairobi will be our headquarters as we aim to expand our market in East Africa, especially in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda,” said Wade.
This tree-planting initiative is expected to enhance Kenya’s appeal as a tourist destination while supporting environmental sustainability.
Kenya To Charge Every Tourist Sh20 for Tree Planting Initiative
