Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala, the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) to develop standards and certifications on spa and wellness in Kenya.
Speaking when he met Spa & Wellness Association of Africa (SWAA) in Mombasa, Balala said time is ripe for such standards to conform to global standards while taking into consideration Kenya’s social and cultural fabric.
He said the standards would greatly benefit from the introduction of a curriculum with training in the industry through the Kenya Utalii College.
“I believe there is potential in this kind of tourism and that is why I am urging both TRA and SWAA to work together for the formulation and implementation of a series of standards and certifications to help enhance the offering to travelers and tourists,” he said.
Kenya is currently ranked fifth in Africa behind Mauritius, South Africa, Tunisia and Morocco in the spa and wellness industry.
Balala said there is potential great potential in Kenya for the business given that the global wellness industry is valued upwards of $4 trillion (Sh412 trillion).
