The Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Heritage plans to scale up marketing activities for tourism attraction sites around Lake Victoria to make them known to foreign visitors touring the country.
Some of the sites include islands in the lake, Tom Mboya Mausoleum which is the grave of trade unionist Tom Mboya, Lake Simbi Nyaima, Ruma National Park, among others.
The ministry will also market traditional cultural practices such as Rusinga Cultural Festival, an annual event organised by the Abasuba community to showcase their tradition, games, talents, dressing and cuisine.
Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry Peninah Malonza said despite Homa Bay having the potential to attract many local and foreign tourists, not much focus has been put on this and it hurts the local and national economy.
Part of the plan by the government is to map out all tourist attraction sites and let them be known by the global market.
Ms Malonza said more focus will be given to foreign markets.
Nationals from European and American countries have been visiting the country.
The CS said their trips however usually end at the coast and at parks like Maasai Mara with the western tourism circuit, particularly in Homa Bay left unexploited.
“It is true that we have not exploited the tourism attraction in this area. More focus has been given to the coast but we hope to change this going forward,” she said.
Ms Malonza spoke during the closure of Rusinga Cultural Festival in Kamasengre Village in Rusinga Island.
“We expect international tourists at times like this next year to attend the festival. It will be possible because we want to market this area,” the CS said.
Accessing some of the tourism sites in Homa Bay is however a challenge.
Roads are dilapidated making movement by cars very difficult.
