To promote tourism and celebrate United Nations World Tourism Day, the Cabinet has approved free entry to all national parks in Kenya on September 28, 2024. This initiative is part of a week-long celebration from September 22 to 29.
This year, Kisumu will host Kenya Tourism Week and World Tourism Day, themed “Tourism and Peace.” The event will highlight Kisumu’s cultural heritage, landscapes, and attractions, focusing on tourism’s role in fostering social, political, cultural, and economic development.
World Tourism Day has been observed annually on September 27 since 1980, commemorating the adoption of the Statutes of the Organization in 1970, which led to the establishment of UN Tourism five years later.
Scheduled activities include peace caravans, environmental conservation initiatives, capacity-building workshops, marathon races, charity walks, football matches, beach events, and cultural festivals. The agenda will also feature networking dinners, exhibitions, youth programs, and award ceremonies to recognize achievements.
This would not be the first time the government has open the gates for Kenyans to freely visit parks. Last year, then CS Tourism Alfred Mutua gave Kenyans a free pass to parks on Jamhuri Day. A move that saw loads of traffic as Kenyans flooded the Parks.
