Miano: Kenya to deploy AI and digital platforms to boost tourism

ELDORET, Kenya, Sep 27 — Kenya is moving to integrate Artificial Intelligence and digital platforms into tourism promotion as the government seeks to make the country’s destinations more visible and accessible to increasingly digital travellers.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the shift in how travellers discover, compare and book destinations makes digital technology and AI critical to Kenya’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.

“Today’s traveller is increasingly using a smartphone, digital platforms and online tools to discover destinations, compare experiences and make travel decisions,” Miano said on Sunday.

She said the government must redesign how it showcases Kenya to ensure destinations, experiences and tourism products remain visible, accessible and relevant in the digital spaces where travellers make decisions.

Miano said the Ministry is already using technology to expand the visibility of Kenya’s tourism offering, citing Safari Live, developed in partnership with Wildlife Earth, as one initiative showcasing the country’s wildlife and destinations to global audiences.

She also highlighted Tembea Kenya as a platform for showcasing destinations and experiences across the country while encouraging domestic travel.

The Cabinet Secretary said young people would play an increasingly important role in promoting Kenya through digital platforms, citing their creativity, reach and understanding of online audiences as valuable assets.

She said the Ministry was already working with influencers and digital content creators as part of efforts to promote Kenya and make its tourism experiences more visible.

The remarks came as Kenya marked World Tourism Day 2026 in Uasin Gishu County under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”

The celebrations in Eldoret brought to a close a week-long programme showcasing Uasin Gishu and the wider North Rift’s tourism potential through sports, culture, conservation, gastronomy and digital innovation.

The official programme ran from September 23 to 27, while the broader tourism activities began earlier in the week.

Tourism Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the celebrations provided an opportunity to position Uasin Gishu and the wider North Rift as an emerging tourism circuit.

He cited Eldoret’s city status, improving road infrastructure and the region’s strong sporting heritage as opportunities to develop new tourism experiences and attract more domestic and international visitors.

“It is time we fully opened up this tourism circuit. There is huge potential in this region,” Bitok said.

He urged investors and tourism operators to improve and diversify the region’s tourism products to make them more competitive and attractive to visitors.

Bitok said the planned 2029 World Athletics Championships would further raise the profile of the North Rift and create an opportunity to connect international sporting events with tourism experiences across the region.

The week-long programme also provided a platform to showcase tourism products, enterprises and innovations while promoting the region’s sporting, cultural and natural attractions.

World Tourism Day is observed globally on September 27 to highlight tourism’s contribution to economic, social and cultural development.

For Kenya, the Eldoret celebrations offered a national platform for the North Rift to promote itself as a tourism destination while placing digital technology and AI at the centre of discussions about the future of the sector.