• Kenya is promoting adventure tourism to create rural jobs amid 70% youth unemployment.

• The Kenya Tourism Board launched a global campaign with BBC StoryWorks on May 25.

• Job creation in guiding, hospitality, and local services is a key strategy.

With about seven out of ten young people unemployed, according to the Federation of Kenyan Employers (FKE), Kenya seeks to rejuvenate its economy through sustainable solutions. The country is now betting on adventure tourism to stimulate domestic demand and create job opportunities in rural regions.

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has unveiled a global campaign titled “A Journey Through the Wild Heart of East Africa,” crafted in partnership with BBC StoryWorks. Promoted on May 25 by the Kenyan Association of Travel Agents (KATA), the initiative seeks to boost local employment.

Global growth in adventure tourism provides both direct and indirect employment opportunities. Such tourism necessitates specialized guides, instructors for outdoor activities, hospitality and catering staff, as well as local artisans. This diversification of travel services spreads economic benefits across the entire territory, particularly in rural areas.

With an overall unemployment rate of 5.6% in 2024 and 81% of informal jobs in the non-agricultural sector, according to the Danish Trade Union Development Agency (DTDA), Kenya is grappling with job insecurity, especially among young people. The creation of stable jobs in the adventure tourism sector is part of the objective to mitigate this situation by providing sustainable career prospects.

The success of this initiative will hinge on enhancing the skills of sector professionals, strengthening infrastructures, and effective international promotion. Previous initiatives such as the “Magical Kenya Mountain & Trail Series” have already demonstrated their impact by generating jobs in less touristy regions, notably through activities such as the ascent of Mount Kenya or hot-air balloon safaris. Close cooperation between public and private actors will be essential to maximize these effects.