In cognizance of the volatility of tourism in the hospitality and tourism
industry, and the need to manage the crisis in the tourism industry in the
Eastern Africa Region, the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management
Satellite Centre (GTRCMSC) was established in November 2019 at Kenyatta
University, Kenya. The establishment of this center was a follow up to the
a bilateral agreement between H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his
counterpart Prime Minister Andrew Holness of Jamaica.
Purpose of the center
The purpose of the Centre is to develop a policy relevant research and analysis on destination preparedness, management and recovery in an increasingly volatile business environment dominated by both man-made and natural disasters as well as uncertain future. The development of the Centre was part of the adoption of the Montego Bay Declaration, following the UNWTO conference on sustainable growth in November 2017.
The Centre is dedicated to policy-relevant research and analysis on regional
destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions or
crises that impact on tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods.
Specifically, it will deal with issues related to terrorism and resultant travel
advisories, political crises, climatic related crisis and the epidemic outbreaks.
Launch of the center
The Centre was launched at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Jamaica,
University of the West Indies (UWI). In addition to the Centre at Kenyatta
University, other Satellite centers are in Nepal, Hong Kong, Malta, Oman and
Japan. The leadership of the GTRCMSC is led by Dr. Taleb Rufai former
UNWTO Secretary General, who is the Chair, Board of Governors. The
GTRCMC is Co- Chaired by Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism for
Jamaica.
Members countries in the region
The GTRCMC in Kenya, is the first-of-its-kind as tourism resource center in
Africa, and will serve the Eastern Africa region, i.e. Kenya, Burundi,
Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea,
Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and
Uganda. The region is a leading tourist destination in Sub-Sahara Africa.
The potential of the tourism industry in the region can be attributed to its
endowment of natural resource, which has contributed significantly to the
economic growth and development. Kenya was selected given its importance
as a renowned tourism destination and being a hub with regard to
connectivity for its Eastern Africa neighbours. A newly expanded and
upgraded Jomo Kenyatta International (JKIA) has raised the profile of
Kenya.
Operations of the GTRCMC
The Centre will work in collaboration with the National Tourism Crisis
Steering Committee. The National Tourism Crisis Steering Committee was
gazette in March 2020, by the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Najib Balala, EGH.
It will work in collaboration with the National Tourism Crisis Steering
Committee. The National Tourism Crisis Steering Committee was gazette in
March 2020, by the Cabinet Secretary, Hon. Najib Balala, EGH. The National
Tourism Crisis committee’s mandate includes the following: –
- Crisis management, coordination, response and steering in the
tourism industry. - Documenting each tourism crisis and its response and conducting
post-crisis reviews and making recommendations thereto. - Managing tourism crisis communication framework and
implementation. - Proposing and recommending national tourism risk and crisis
management strategies, frameworks, manuals and protocols. - Creating networks of stakeholders to ensure effective crisis
management - To oversight operations of the National Tourism Crisis Operational
Centre.
In the Gazette notice, the GTRCMC in Kenya was tasked with researching,
capacity building and creating and communicating toolkits and policies on
tourism resilience and crisis management on behalf of the Committee. For a
long time, the sector has been making important decisions without using
relevant data. However, this is set to change with establishment of GTRCMC.
Objectives
- Research and development
- Policy formulation and advocacy
- Communication Management
- Programme /Project Design and Management
- Training and Capacity Building
Composition of the committee
The composition of the Committee cuts across the public sector, private
sector and the academia and consists of a broad spectrum of tourism
stakeholders well versed with the industry operations and how well crises in
the sector can be managed. The establishment of the Centre and the
Committee could therefore not have come at a better time since Kenya’s
tourism industry, despite its remarkable growth, has suffered heavily from
the impact of COVID-19.
Leadership of the center
The leadership of the Satellite Centre in Kenya comprises of the following
1.Patron/ Regional Co-Chairperson GTRCMC
H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya President
- Chairperson Board of Governors
Hon. Balala CS Tourism and Wildlife - Co-Chairperson, Board of Governors
Prof Paul Wainaina, Vice Chancellor, Kenyatta University - Director, GTRCMC
Dr Esther Munyiri, Kenyatta University
Milestones of the center
H.E. the President Uhuru Kenyatta and CS Tourism and Wildlife visited
Jamaica in August 2019
Launched regional Centre in KU
Presentations in London Nov 2019 (Global Resilience Summit)
Launched at the Montego Bay Convention Centre
in Jamaica, University of the West Indies (UWI)
Held a meeting between CS Tourism and Wildlife and VC KU and other
Dignitaries
Held a meeting between CS Tourism and Wildlife, Minister of Tourism
Jamaica and VC KU and other dignitaries
Created relevant committee
Developed draft MoUs with University of West Indies and GTRCMC in
Jamaica
Developed tourism recovery /response strategies
Developed policy briefs/policy frameworks
Created tourism products inventories
Organized seminars and workshops
Developed mitigation strategies
Thematic areas:
Tourism Climatic and Seismic Resilience (Drought, Floods,
Landslides, Sea level rise etc)
Tourism Pandemic /Epidemic Resilience (Cholera, Ebola, Rift
Valley fever etc)
Tourism Security /Cyber Security Resilience (terrorism, Poaching,
Health Security etc)
Tourism Entrepreneurial Resilience (Training, Mentoring etc)
Economic Disruptions (Elections, Technologies etc)
Emerging challenges facing the tourism industry.
