Kenya: Wildlife Park Revenues Grow to Sh2.6bn

The Nation (Nairobi)
11 August 2007
Mike Mwaniki
Nairobi

Revenue from national parks has increased to Sh2.6 billion compared to Sh1.2 billion realised two years ago, the Kenya Wildlife Service director has said.

Mr Julius Kipng'etich attributed the increase to a rise in the number of local and foreign visitors to the parks, which are spread out in various parts of the country. "This financial year, our target is to increase the revenue base from our national parks to Sh3 billion."

This will result in KWS raising entry park fees from the current $40 (Sh2,640) to $60 (Sh3,960) for foreigners, the director added.

Speaking during a media breakfast briefing at The Stanley hotel in Nairobi, Mr Kipng'etich said: "One of the biggest challenges facing KWS is in tilting tourism earnings in favour of communities living within wildlife areas to benefit from the sector,".

KWS was becoming more "people-centred and customer-focused" as the organisation's revenue base and infrastructure continued to grow. "We are shaking-off our previous para-military image expect where this profile is required. "For example, we have now employed customer service officers who will soon replace rangers in welcoming visitors at park gates, while the rangers will be redeployed to protect our wildlife and biodiversity."

As part of the KWS revival, the director said, park branding had been introduced.

Branding programme

"In this concept, each branded park has been created, including systems, signage, visitor accommodation and infrastructure..."As part of the branding process, KWS is reaching out to local communities, sharing benefits in the form of improved infrastructure, the construction of clinics and schools and employment to locals," Mr Kipng'etich added. During the 2006/2007 financial year, KWS set aside Sh32 million for its corporate social responsibility. "Currently, about Sh25 million has been disbursed towards community social projects in the various KWS conservation areas.

"Some of the projects that benefited from the funding include construction of schools, provision of water, community study tours and exchange visits,".

"In addition, through a provident kitty set up under the aegis of the Wildlife for Development Fund, KWS has spent more than Sh150 million to support community projects in various parts of the country."

During this financial year, KWS will increase protection for wildlife in North Eastern province.

"Towards this end, we plan to sensitise communities in this area on conservation strategies so that they create their own sanctuaries supported by KWS," said Mr Kipng'etich.

I reprinted this article from the news because I feel it is a very important one. I was irate when I read the article in the Nation on 8-11-07 while in Kenya.

1. The raise in fees from $40.00 per day to $60.00 will be good for the environment because fewer and fewer
people will be in the parks.

2. Having just returned from Kenya tonight, I spent 17 days in both Amboseli and Tsavo East National Parks
and NEVER ONCE SAW A RANGER except those collecting funds at airstrips/gates!!!

3. How do they justify an increase when they are not now doing the job they are supposed to do - protect
wildlife.

4. By giving the money to "the community" they probably feel they will stop poaching, snaring, spearing, etc.
This is not going to change people's thinking. They will continue to poach, snare and spear as they have
been doing for years whether KWS builds a school or clinic in "the communities", in my opinion.

KWS needs to get its act together. Not only are officials in Nairobi getting hefty raises, but I was told by someone in the know that individuals found a dead elephant and reported it to KWS. The rangers in the area then got mad that anyone had reported it because now they wouldn't get their raise/bonus. OH WELL, if they weren't doing their jobs they should not be getting the raise/bonus!

As a twice a year traveler to Kenya I certainly don't begrudge a raise in park fees IF IT IS GOING TOWARD
PROTECTING WILDLIFE and upgrading the park. However, I don't feel our hard-earned dollars should be going to communities. Welfare is something the government should be doing for its people and a wildlife authority should be using its funds to protect the wildlife.

After I get some sleep after the 30 hour trip home, I'll write KWS that I feel their priorities are out of line. I know it won't do any good, but we who feel strongly about policies, positive or negative, need to express our opinions about them and let people in lofty positions know the world is watching.

Welcome back, Jan.

I wonder how they managed to double the income in the previous 2 years without doubling the entrance fee. Yet now they want to increase the fee by another 50% ??

How much more money do they need until someone will be able to observe improvement?

Welcome back Jan - good to see you on line again.
Meet up with any snakes this time round? Found any in your shoes or under the bed?

karibu jan,
good to have you back!

regarding park fee increase:

- they stop longterm visitors - like you and us - but they won't stop these annoying minibusses which do these 2 days trips coming from nairobi!

- they won't also stop these 2 days tourists which come from the coast just in order to execute a safari in order to see something else except beach.....

both visitor groups don't care about environment but want to have a quick wildlife experiences - generally speaking

- while the wildebeest and zebra crossings there were NO rangers in order to watch, monitor and sanction cars (mostly kenyan citizens of indian decent and minibusses) which interfere with the crossing herds which was terrible. they just drove in between the migration messing up the whole crossing, seperating mothers from their calves etc.

- we were stopped several times by rangers which wanted to check our tickets!

- increasing park fees and allowing more and more camps to be built in and around the reserve is a perfect proof that it's all about greediness and not at all for the benefit of envorinment and animal protection!

we try to manage to get once more to the mara next year but then cancel kenya alltogether! we are not willing to serve as cows to be milked for no other reason than cashing in on our money !

Very sad to read this Pippa - I knew it was going to happen but still very sad that this is all going in the direction we hoped would not happen.