The Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and SNV Kenya (a Netherlands Capacity Building Agency), aims to enhance the market access of community based tourism and hospitality products and services in Kenya through the Sustainable Tourism Eliminating Poverty (STEP) Project.
To achieve this, the STEP program envisages building the capacity of local tourism and hospitality Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by instilling in them business orientation, standardizing community tourism and hospitality products and services and championing the establishment of marketing hubs at a national and regional level.
The project support is divided into two; software support (capacity building) and hardware support (facility improvements).
This is therefore to call for funding proposals from currently operational community based tourism and hospitality enterprises from the following specific regions of the country where the program is being piloted; Northern Kenya, South Rift and North Rift.
Selection criteria will be used for the SMEs to access grants of up to a maximum of Kshs.300, 000 each as hereunder:
To achieve this, the STEP program envisages building the capacity of local tourism and hospitality Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) by instilling in them business orientation, standardizing community tourism and hospitality products and services and championing the establishment of marketing hubs at a national and regional level.
The project support is divided into two; software support (capacity building) and hardware support (facility improvements).
This is therefore to call for funding proposals from currently operational community based tourism and hospitality enterprises from the following specific regions of the country where the program is being piloted; Northern Kenya, South Rift and North Rift.
Selection criteria will be used for the SMEs to access grants of up to a maximum of Kshs.300, 000 each as hereunder:
- SMEs should be legally registered either as business entities or Community Based Organisations (CBOs)
- Bankable proposal The programme seeks tourism and hospitality SMEs with bankable proposals which demonstrate clear and measurable outcomes. The program will support SMEs engaged in a range of tourism business; Curio dealers, eco-camps, cultural villages/dancers, boats operators, guides, tourist information centres, mountain climbers, and homestays among others.
- Ability to co-finance but not mandatory which can be in kind or cash
- Potential Management Capacity and Structure
- Demonstration of social entrepreneurship and benefit sharing mechanisms
- Eligible costs incurred and paid by the SMEs in the development or Implementation of an existing program
Eligible SMEs are encouraged to apply and note that:
- The full application/proposal should not exceed four (4) pages
- The SMEs should submit their proposals to the PIC by December I0th, 2009
- Only successful applicants will be contacted
They can also be delivered to:
The Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Tourism
Utalii House
P.O. Box 30027 - 00100
Nairobi
Attention:
Project Implementation Committee
Department of Tourism
