NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 3 – Hotel, lodge, bar, and restaurant workers will be required to pay a fee to get a practicing license if a new bill passes through in Parliament.
The Hospitality Professional Bill, 2023, which is currently before the Senate, will impose a hefty fine and jail terms on those who fail to comply.
On October 1, the Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife, chaired by Kareke Mbiuki, held a meeting with Matuga Constituency MP Kassim Tandaza to deliberate on the proposed Tourism and Hospitality Practitioners Bill, 2023.
The bill aims to regulate the hospitality profession, which is currently overseen by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) alongside the tourism sector.
The proposed legislation also aims to address other key issues such as training and education, the establishment of a professional regulatory body, the enforcement of industry standards, and enhanced consumer protection.
“This bill will professionalize the hospitality sector, ensuring that standards are maintained, ultimately raising the status of Kenya’s hospitality industry on the international stage,” Mbiuki said.
Tandaza, who sponsored the bill, highlighted the focus on education requirements for hospitality professionals.
“Unlike other professions where the minimum qualification is a university degree, the hospitality industry will set the bar at a diploma. Those holding certificates will be given a five-year grace period to upgrade their qualifications,” he explained.
The bill also targets to address specialised expertise, conflict of interest, industry representation, promotion of industry growth and competitiveness, compliance and enforcement mechanisms, and the creation of a professional regulatory framework.
“We should propose that training starts from the lower levels. For instance, many beach boys fluently speak foreign languages like Italian, Spanish, French, and German but didn’t have the opportunity to complete high school. What they need is capacity building,” Ruweida Obo, MP for Lamu East Constituency added.
