NAIROBI, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to promote the green tourism sector in order to enhance its sustainability, the tourism regulator said on Thursday.
Kipkorir Lagat, director general of Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA), told a forum in Nairobi that tourism is a very fragile industry that depends on nature to provide services to its clients.
"We will work closely with tourism stakeholders to enable the sector adopt measures to conserve natural resources and reduce their green house gas emissions," Lagat said during the stakeholders forum of the retail industry and the Tourism Fund.
He said that the government already offers tax incentives for hotels that have green buildings and use renewable sources of energy.
"Solar equipment for heating is also exempt from Value Added Tax," he said.
TRA noted that environmental sustainability is now a key pillar of the tourism sector given the growing number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the country.
Government data indicates that approximately 2 million visitors entered Kenya in 2018, up from 1.4 million the previous year.
Lagat added that Kenya also hopes to cash in on the growing number of tourists who seek eco-friendly destinations.
Last week, Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta announced a ban on single use plastics in national parks and beaches beginning in June 2020.
The tourism regulator noted that environmentally friendly policies such as use of biodegradable products and recycling could help make the tourism sector more sustainable.
