Italian Government Collaborates with Kilifi County to Revamp Tourism Sector
By Ronald Ngoba
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
The Italian government is working with the Kilifi County government to revamp the tourism sector through bolstering tourist numbers from the country.
The move will also strengthen the relations between the two partners through culture and music.
This includes an Italian musical concert played by Kenyans and cohosted by the Italian Ambassador to Kenya Robert Natali together with Kilifi governor Gideon Mung’aro held at the Gedi Ruins World UNESCO heritage site in Malindi.
Speaking during the event, the ambassador said the concert was part of the strengthening ties and building the bridges between Kenya and Italy.
According to him Kilifi has had a strong presence of Italians for years and they are strengthening it through culture and music.
“We want to be together here so I know that our Kenyan friends appreciate a lot of Italians and our Italians to know that also we have wonderful musical players from Kenya who have devoted their lives to study music and Italian music and I am so proud of them.”
This comes barely two months after the Italian embassy organized the Italian week of cuisine to showcase the rich Italy culture.
Mung’aro on his part said the concert was aimed at bringing people together and also to revamp the follen tourism sector.
He said they lost so many Italians to Zanzibar, but now the national, county and Italian governments were working together to revamp the sector.
The governor said his administration was committed to creating opportunities for the sector to ensure it thrives.
“The initiative has provided both Italy and Kilifi County an opportunity to showcase their rich culture and I am sure it will revamp our tourism sector.
“The six coastal counties for years have mostly been promoting beach tourism and wildlife safari’s, forgetting the region’s deep cultural heritage that can be packaged as a tourism product.”
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya termed the Italian classical concert as crucial in strengthening and deepening the relations between the two countries.
He said it was also an honour to celebrate the music at the World UNESCO heritage site in Gedi ruins.
The legislator said he had requested the National Museums of Kenya to consider loping in the Portuguese Chapel, Malindi Museum and Vasco Da Gama Pillar to be part of world the same heritage.
