Kenya installs tourist police
By Nelson Alcantara
NAIROBI (eTurboNews) – Kenya is the latest country to join in the bandwagon to install tourist police, officials from Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) announced last week.
“Security is a primary consideration for any person, and this also applies to holiday-makers worldwide, KTB said in a release. “Recent global events have heightened security awareness among international travellers and the tourism industry stake-holders in general.”
The latest move, according to the tourist board, is comes as a result of appeals from the stakeholders in Kenya’s tourism industry.
Under the umbrella of the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), the Kenya government has taken the issue of tourist safety very seriously and formally constituted the Tourist Police Unit (TPU) to function as a distinct and separate force within the police force, KTB said.
According to KTB officials, the TPU will operate under directions from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and its headquarters are located in the same building as the ministry, and headed by a commandant.
“The Tourist Police Unit in collaboration with KTF recently recruited 300 members which carefully selected from amongst the serving officers,” KTB said.
To introduce them to tourism operations, the Officers undergo a two-week intensive induction course at the Kenya Wildlife Service Naivasha Training Institute. The course, which has already graduated two batches of 40 officers per class, seeks to impart skills in the areas of customer care, understanding and catering to the needs of visitors and handling any complaints.
The response from the tourism industry has been positive so far, according to the KTB. “The tourism industry has received this new development with great joy,” it said.
Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, Nepal, India, Malaysia, Greece, Colombia and Peru are some of the few countries that currently implements a tourist police program.
March 8, 2005
Posted in: Africa