The government has identified five beaches and four islands on the Kenyan coast as destinations for privatization as a means to increase tourism investment.
Through the Kenya National Tourism Strategy (2025-2030) draft, the Ministry of Tourism announced that Kenya must immediately re-engineer its tourism product development, which will require a significant recalculation.
The Ministry aims to establish a model of beach categorization that will help identify strategic beaches, where each category defines the type of tourists who are accessing these beaches. The Ministry said that four beach categories will exist, including premium/exclusive, family and leisure, ecotourism and cultural, and adventure and sports.
Exclusive beaches will target high-net-worth individuals and feature private villas, airstrips, boutique resorts, and private golf courses. The draft proposes that authorities install strict zoning and beach management rules “for privacy, security, and exclusivity”.
The Ministry lists Vipingo Beach in Kilifi, Tiwi Beach in Kwale, Kuruwitu Beach in Kilifi, and Msambweni Beach in Kwale under this category. The family beaches of Diani beach, Nyali beach, Bamburi beach, and Watamu beach will be open to the public with family-friendly facilities for family, group tourism, and general recreation.
The Ministry will mark Shimoni Beach in Kwale, Shela, Kipungani and Kiwayu beaches in Lamu, and Takaungu in Kilifi as ecotourism beaches for their rich culture and heritage. They will also categorize Watamu and Malindi beaches in Kilifi, Gazi beach in Kwale, and Nyali and Bamburi in Mombasa under adventure/sports beaches owing to their rich water sports investments and marine parks.
The Ministry says this will therefore need an investment criterion under private ownership, private concessions, or long-term island leasing models.
“The aim is to encourage the development of high-end facilities such as luxury beach clubs and boutique hotels, private marine access points (for yachts, diving, etc.), and helipads or private airstrips,” read the draft in part.
This will see Chale and Funzi islands in Kwale, and Kiwayu and Manda Toto islands in Lamu being marked for privatization. Five beaches, among them Takaungu and Vipingo in Kilifi, Msambweni in Kwale, and Kipungani and Matondoni in Lamu, have also been included in the list.
As a way of enhancing access to such destinations, the Ministry has proposed upgrading Malindi Airport to international status, having Moi International Airport available to more direct international airlines, supporting regional airstrips (for example, Ukunda and Lamu) for regional jet capacity and scheduled service, and upgrading road systems and road signs to beach destinations from inland circuits.
The Ministry insists that these strategies will allow Kenya to remain competitive in the global tourism market, arguing that they will unlock new markets and guarantee sustainable economic development.
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