Alfred Mutua Who is the new Cabinet Secretary for tourism blasted Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) airport offcials for harrasing and mishandling tourists.
The CS expressed this sentiments during the Senate standing committee on trade Conference which happened at the Kenyatta International conference center (KICC),
Mutua who graced the luncheon touched on major reasons as to why Kenya gets low tourist turn out despite being one of the most beautiful tourist destination in the world.
The former Machakos governor explained that the KRA officials frisk the foreignor’s bags t
”When our tourists came, amebeba camera mbili, amebeba viatu anataka kukuja shopping ama kufanya vitu zingine.Akifika pale KRA anaambiwa afungue mkoba wake, underwear yake inashikwa na kalamu namna hii, wakitafta camera mbili, sijui hii perfume umeletea nani? We harass our visitors at the airport.” the CS said in part.
Mutua explained that for tourism to florish and for the number of return tourists to increase, the visitors had to feel the warmth and love once they landed in the country.
He gave examples of tourist destinations including Malvides,Singapore and South Afric citing the warm welcome visitors receive as one of the major reasons the tourists prefer the stated countries over Kenya.
”We wonder why people dont want to come to Kenya.We must present the right optic. People have to get that warm feeling. You go to Sigapore today, nobody harrasses you, you go The Seychelles, You go to The Maldives, nobody opens your bag. You are a tourist.Those are some of the things we need to change,”The CS advised.
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Netizens took to the comment section to react to the cabinet secretary,s statement regarding the KRA officials.
”Not only for tourists even local mwana nchi”
”Weee am a kenyan I came with perfumes as a gift zikachukuliwa and they were gifts” Kenyans commented.