Every tourist will soon have to plant a tree

Majestic elephants, wild lions, varied nature and fantastic beaches: Kenya has enormous tourism potential: the industry creates approximately two million jobs and accounts for more than ten percent of the gross domestic product. And the potential must be used even better in the future.

On the one hand, there are ambitious plans to increase the number of tourists visiting the country annually to at least 2.5 million people by 2026, and on the other hand, travelers must also help fight climate change.

According to the “Kenya News AgencyThis was recently announced by Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Alfred Mutua. The ‘One tree per tourist’ project stipulates that every holidaymaker in Kenya must buy a young tree for a small fee and plant it. By 2032, 15 billion trees should be planted in Kenya, partly with the help of travelers.

“One tree per tourist”: this is how the project should work

Tourists arriving in Kenya must then buy a sapling for 20 Kenyan shillings, the equivalent of about 14 cents. “Our plan as a government is that every tourist from any part of the world who visits Kenya will plant a tree,” he quoted.NTV Kenya“Mutu. To this end, the ministry will work closely with hotels and tourism agencies across the country. Hotels must then offer travelers the opportunity to plant their seedlings in the vicinity of their accommodation.

So-called tourism forests are planned for urban areas such as the capital Nairobi, where hotels are located in the city center, where tourists can plant their trees. However, as ecosystem conservation cannot be achieved solely through tree planting campaigns in tourist areas, the entire country needs to be involved.

Tree planting holidays introduced

We have already done so so that every Kenyan can participate Several holidays were decided, where trees are planted throughout the country. Planting campaigns are planned to continue, especially in the Taita Taveta and Kitui County areas. All employees of the Ministry of Tourism must also participate in this, according to strict guidelines.

Billions of new trees will be planted in Kenya in the coming years.

Source: IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

However, ambitious efforts have been made in the past to better harness the potential of Kenyan tourism increased criticism. Disproportionate price increases for entry to national parks raised concerns about alienating tourists – in some cases, entrance fees were increased to around $200 per day. The requirement for travelers to take out local health insurance was also heavily criticized.

Visa-free access to Kenya since 2024

After a short delay, a so-called ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) for Kenya was introduced at the beginning of this year. The electronic entry permit has since replaced the visa for Kenya – similar to what travelers from countries such as the US or Canada are familiar with. Instead of the previous 50 euros for the visa, only 30 euros registration fee is now due.

However, holidaymakers will be required to provide some personal details such as passport details, flight numbers, accommodation booking confirmation and a telephone number or email address. The ETA can be requested on the Kenyan government website.

What should travelers know right now? All important You can find news for your holiday on reisereporter.