EDITORIAL: KWS reversal welcome – Business Daily

Tourism remains one of the sectors hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. As the government puts in place more measures to curb the fast-spreading virus such as travel restrictions and social distancing, these will take a toll on the sector for most part of the year.

That is why the earlier announcement by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) that it would be increasing park entry fees for Kenyans across the country from July sounded untimely.

The announcement that the fees would increase by 50 percent in some parks while in others the jump is nearly threefold was ill timed and struck a jarring chord with Kenyans.

It is, therefore, encouraging that KWS soon rescinded the decision.

Much as the proposed rates would have translated into higher revenues for the agency, which in itself is a welcome development as it would have reduced its reliance on the Treasury, the announcement came at a bad time when all effort is being focused on how to stop the spread of coronavirus both in Kenya and globally.

The need to grow revenue would be best served by sensitivity to public sentiment especially during these uncommon times.