On Friday 29th September 2023, Camões Institute – Portugal (Camões IP), an implementing partner of the Go Blue project, in collaboration with Jumuiya Ya Kaunti Za Pwani (JKP) hosted and oversaw the Validation meeting for the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani, Tourism Culture and Heritage (TCH) Blueprint 2030 at Muthu Nyali Beach Hotel –Mombasa.
The Blueprint is a product of the Go Blue Kenya project, a partnership between the EU and the Government of Kenya to advance the Blue Economy agenda through coastal development. The Portuguese Government, through Camões IP, has been leading the process of developing the blueprint which has included structured participatory, inclusive, and holistic processes.
The Tourism and Cultural Heritage Blueprint 2030 is designed to ensure that the sustainable utilization of tourism and cultural heritage assets along the Kenyan coast brings economic benefits to the local communities. It specifically aims to create inclusive opportunities for income and employment, particularly for vulnerable individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), while also integrating these groups into the tourism value chain. To attain this, the Blueprint proposes strict adherence to seven main principles: Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, Plurality, ethics, Sustainability and Responsible Tourism.
The validation meeting that was held on 29th September, brought together Tourism and Cultural Heritage stakeholders from the national government, County governments of the JKP region, Academia, private sector players and civil society organisations.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani Tourism and Cultural Heritage Blueprint 2030 was officially validated by the stakeholders present, with their valuable input incorporated into the document. The formal launch of the blueprint is scheduled for 27 October 2023 in Mombasa, Kenya.