Kenya’s tourism industry is celebrating the recent inclusion of the historic town and archaeological site of Gedi on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list – making it the eighth heritage site to receive this designation.

The site reflects the rich history and sophisticated architecture of Swahili civilisation with well-planned urban layout and intricate coral stone structures.

“We are deeply honoured by this inscription, which highlights the importance of preserving and promoting our cultural heritage,” says Professor Mary Gikungu, Director-General of the National Museums of Kenya.

“The recognition of Gedi as a World Heritage Site not only elevates its status on a global stage but also reaffirms our commitment to safeguarding our national treasures for future generations.”

June Chepkemei, CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board, believes this not only enhances Kenya's cultural landscape but also contributes to the global understanding of Swahili culture and history.

“The rich culture and heritage of Kenya is a significant attraction to tourists and Gedi will be yet another bucket list experience boosting tourism. Kenya is on a path of deliberate efforts in sustainable tourism and is working closely with communities and partners to showcase and preserve the country's heritage.”

Do World Heritage Sites attract tourists?

While there are benefits to preserving history, culture and natural resources, do the UNESCO World Heritage Sites have the power to shift economic gains in countries and draw additional tourists to a destination.

Havar Bauck, Founder of Hotel Online, says: “UNESCO World Heritage status is an official recognition by the United Nations that a site is among the most important in the world. Many people put these sites on their bucket lists. It is a status that guides people’s travel decisions so the status alone will attract people on its own merit. If it is properly marketed in addition to that, the sky is the limit.

“You’re also declaring that this is a site so important that it doesn’t just belong to one country but to all of mankind and that you’re the custodian. The world’s eyes will be on you so make sure you maintain it well.”

Bauck points out that UNESCO assists countries to diversify their products. “Cultural heritage is an area that Kenya should capitalise much more on as a tourism strategy. The wildlife and beaches in Kenya are amazing but we need to move beyond that narrative. To get there, the country needs to offer a far more diverse mix of experiences and attractions.”

Valuable sector

Chris Flynn, Executive Chairman of the World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage, says culture and heritage is the fastest growing and most valuable sector of tourism in terms of tourist dollars.

While this economic impact is great, Flynn believes each country, region, town, village or experience needs to assess how many tourists it can take without destroying the asset (the heritage site), the traveller experience and, most importantly, the social fabric of the society living in or around the destination or asset.

“This is done by developing a carrying capacity model that allows a destination to grow visitor numbers without risking the very thing it is trying to promote. The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage has a team of experts that do this as it is a critical and fundamental piece of research that protects against issues such as over-tourism.”

Achieving World Heritage status can be prohibitive

While there are countless heritage sites in Africa, the UNESCO sites represent a very small percentage of what’s truly available throughout the continent.

“One of the major reasons is there’s a substantial investment required – money and staff resources – to successfully achieve World Heritage status. This makes submission for World Heritage status prohibitive for many countries or regions,” Flynn points out.

As achieving World Heritage Site status is often prohibitive, the World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage works with destinations to identify culture and heritage assets. In addition, the organisation makes comprehensive training modules available to educate ministries and local people about the significance of the sites.

Visitor experience

To make the heritage sites traveller-friendly, Havar recommends that countries should begin with the visitor experience.

“Countries should ensure that they meet the high expectations that World Heritage Site status creates. For example, the national government and Kilifi County should invest a few million dollars in a modern, state-of-the-art visitor centre that is up to the task at Gede ruins. They should make it a multi-sensory experience that invites people of all ages to enjoy spending time and money there, leaving with memories for a lifetime.”

According to Havar, the next key focus area is infrastructure. “Visitors shouldn’t have to drive on bumpy dirt roads to get to a site that is a national identity flagbearer.”

Once the overall experience is in place, destinations should focus on marketing. “Tourism boards should build a narrative for the world around the site and make the story available in all channels,” suggests Havar. “For example, invite and incentivise documentary teams to visit a site or build programming around it, hold competitions the create the best content and ensure that the footage can be found online in pictures, videos, VR and drone shots.”