Nairobi, May 22 (IANS): Kenya has launched a strategy to guide the growth and recovery of the tourism sector in the next five years, a senior official said.

Najib Balala, cabinet secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, said that the strategy outlines an actionable plan that is designed around the four pillars that will assist to transform Kenya into a top tourist destination in Africa, reports Xinhua news agency.

"The strategy calls for repositioning of Kenya's brand, developing new and existing markets, developing new tourism products and experiences as well as developing enablers to further strengthen the industry," Balala said.

Government data indicates that international tourist arrivals hit 870,465 in 2021, earning the country 146 billion shillings (about $1.25 billion).

Balala said that the plan also provides a roadmap to guide the marketing of experiences and tourism products in Kenya.

He noted that the East African nation will focus on promoting nature and wildlife, adventure and sports, cultural communities as the coastal and cities to foreign and domestic tourists.

He revealed that the strategy was an important part of the ministry of tourism's mission to accelerate economic transformation of communities through providing solutions and opening up new opportunities for growth in the sector.

"Despite the many challenges and sometimes difficult environment, the tourism sector has made tremendous progress in developing practical frameworks that deliver a memorable visitor experience. The strategy was developed with a clear vision of propelling the sector to newer and higher heights," Balala added.

He said that the Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected the tourism industry, necessitating the need to re-strategize in order to re-grow and reshape the tourism ecosystem in a smart way that will ensure continued resilience and sustainability of the industry.