New tourism body recruits first batch of staff to handle key positions

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May 15, 2017
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Utalii House, the headquarters of Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA). PHOTO/COURTESY
By ABDULHAKIM SHERMAN
newsdesk@reporter.co.ke
The Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) has approved the appointment of its first batch of 57 key employees to takeover strategic positions at the new State Corporation.
According to TRA chairman Sammy Nyule Ngumbao, the new employees will be deployed at the Authority’s headquarters in Nairobi and in Counties that include Mombasa, Nyeri, Kisumu, Malindi, Nakuru and Eldoret.
“TRA has through a full board of directors meeting on May 12, 2017 approved the appointment of its batch of 57 key staff on permanent and pensionable terms in line with the Jubilee Government’s manifesto of creating employment opportunities to all Kenyans,” Mr Ngumbao said in a statement.
The TRA chairman said the Authority which has formulated tourist facilities’ classification criteria for Kenya and the Eastern African region has mandated the management of TRA to work with tourism investors and other stakeholders to achieve the high hospitality standards across the industry for both international and domestic tourists.
TRA is a corporate body established under section 4 of the tourism act no.28 of 2011 and is mandated to regulate the tourism sector in Kenya. This entails developing regulations, standards and guidelines that are necessary to ensure an all-round quality service delivery in the tourism sector.
The Authority’s key functions include:

Formulate guidelines and prescribe measures for sustainable tourism throughout the country;
Regulate tourism activities and services countrywide, in accordance with the national tourism strategy;
Register, license and grade all sustainable tourism and tourist- related activities and services including cottages and private residences engaged in guest house services;
Develop and implement, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, criteria for standardization and classification of tourism facilities and services;
Develop and regulate, in consultation with the ministry for the time being responsible for matters relating to education, tourism and hospitality curriculum, examination and certification;
Develop and implement a code of practice for the tourism sector;
-ensure the development and implementation of high quality tourism sector.
Vet and recommend expatriates seeking employment in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Monitor and assess tourist activities and services to enhance continuous improvement and adherence to sound principles and practices of sustainable tourism;
Undertake annually, an assessment and audit of tourism activities and services, measures and initiatives at national level, and prepare and publish an annual national tourism sector status report, in consultation with the minister and relevant lead agencies; and perform any other functions that are ancillary to the object and purpose for which the authority is established.

Mr Ngumbao appealed to tourism investors to corporate with TRA staff so as to revamp the tourism industry’s performance after Kenya re-emerged as the best choice for conference tourism in the region.