The Kenyan government will allocate KSh2 billion (just under $20 million) for tourism marketing in the next financial year.

According to National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, Henry Rotich, of the KSh2 billion, KSh1 billion will be earmarked for tourism recovery while another KSh1 billion will be used for sustaining new source markets.

The Cabinet Secretary said the industry had improved last year, adding that the new funding would boost tourism marketing campaigns in both traditional and emerging markets.

This financial year, the government committed KSh4.5 billion to the Tourism Ministry, in which part of the funds were set aside for tourism recovery efforts.

While presenting Budget statement for the financial year 2017/2018, Rotich pointed out that the government would continue to support tourism recovery campaigns for the industry to recover fully.

“Tourism is key to our country as, apart from being an economic driver, it helps create jobs for our people as well as supporting communities that depend on the sector for livelihoods,” he added.

He presented a budget of KSh2.6 trillion at the national assembly in Nairobi last week.

Last year, international arrivals to the country by air and sea grew by 17% to 877 602 compared with 752 073 in 2015.