Beach Boys Menace, Threat To Tourism In Kilifi
Beach boys have been described as a major threat to the tourism sector in Malindi and Watamu resort towns of Kilifi county following claims of harassing tourists on holiday at the beaches.
Despite the Kenyan coast being ranked the best in the world five years in a row, beach boys’ menace is slowly diminishing tourism returns.
Normally there are those beach operators who are known and have identity cards but the rogue beach boys are those not licensed and are the ones who harass guests.
Leaders and Investors have for decades been complaining about the beach boys but to date, solutions have not been found.
The beach boys have in the past been accused of sexually harassing visitors on the beaches in the guise of training them to swim where they demand for sexual favours while in deep seas.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Penina Malonza who visited Watamu after a fierce fire destroyed hotels worth millions of shillings said he was aware of the beach boy menace and announced that the government would soon come up with solutions.
“We have a good plan for the beach boys. We want to organize them because they are human beings and are looking for money,” she said.
Malonza said they have received many complaints that beach boys normally harass tourists who are on holiday and some have now threatened that they would not be coming.
She said the plan is to ensure positive responses from the tourists who tour Watamu and Malindi so as to attract more tourists.
The CS said they want to ensure the beach boys are taken for training at the Ronald Ngalla University College which is nearly complete.
“We will make sure that before we open the University we get the number of beach boys to go and get free education on how to receive tourists, secondly we organize a beach boys association just like the way tour operators have their own association,” she said.
Once the beach boys have an association she said they will be given uniforms that will easily identify them.
Currently, she said the Ministry has a police protection service unit that will specifically deal with tourism affairs to ensure tourists visiting the country are safe from the airport, to the hotel and the beaches.
“When there is proper security we shall be able to receive many tourists and when the tourists bring money the economy of the country will improve and we shall reduce the taxes,” she said.
Kilifi North MP Owen Baya said he has been receiving reports of beach boys harassing tourists which was tarnishing the image of the industry.
“The other day there were beach boys in the Jacaranda area who were ordering tourists to pay 2 dollars for them to be allowed access to the beach because they had blocked the beach access. When we do that do you think tourists will come?” he said.
Baya who is the Deputy Majority leader of the National Assembly called on the beach boys to safeguard the industry as he is fighting hard to ensure infrastructure is developed.
The aim he said is to ensure tourism is fully revived by December this year to have full bed occupancy in both Malindi and Watamu.
Watamu and Watamu rely heavily on the tourism sector and it’s through the industry that many locals get employment.
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