Nakuru slowly dethroning major towns as tourist magnet

Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua (centre) unveils a plague to open Eagle Palace Hotel as the hotel’s Managing Director Ibrahim Osman (left) and General Manager Farid Abdalla (partially hidden behind governor) look on. [PHOTO:BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

Nakuru County is slowly edging out other towns as a favourite tourist destination, owing to its growing status as a hospitality hub.

The county which boasts of key national parks and lakes, including Lake Naivasha, Lake Nakuru and Elementaita has also seen its fortunes in the hospitality industry grow due to increased entertainment joints.

Eagle Palace Hotel General Manager Farid Abdalla says the increased number of Nairobi residents relocating to Nakuru over the weekend - away from the city’s limelight and travelers to Western Kenya, have boosted the county’s hospitality industry.

This is in addition to tourists on transit to neighbouring countries who also visit the area. “Residents on stopover in Nakuru on their way to western counties such as Kakamega, Kisumu and Bungoma have given great impetus to the tourism industry,” he said. This comes on the heels of complaints by tourists associations that Coastal towns are slowing losing out to Naivasha and Nakuru which offer better entertainment facilities. Recently, the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Executive Officer Sam Ikwaye said Nakuru and Naivasha towns have stolen the limelight from Mombasa in terms of quality entertainment due to non-conducive State policies. “Today, most hotels have converted these facilities into conference rooms and left the provision of entertainment services in the hands of external investors.”

Ikwaye chided government policies, which he claimed advocate for a 24-hour economy while restricting operating time for entertainment spots across the region. However, Abdalla, who has worked with major hotels across Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar, said apart from targeting local and foreign tourists who visit major attractions and sites, the county is targeting meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE)business, which is growing steadily due to devolution.

Nakuru County has also come up with a website targeting visitors in addition to hosting major sporting events such as rugby matches that attract both locals and foreigners. Other key attractions in the area include the Menengai Crater, Hot Springs at Eburu and Naivasha, flourspar factory and numerous hills.

Abdalla said hoteliers are also tapping into devolution in the wake of increased conferencing needs by coming up with better hotel and conferencing facilities. He however explained that the hospitality industry has not benefited from the presidential directive to have employers send staff for holidays in major hospitality and conferencing facilities.

He said the industry is offering special resident rates, rate waivers for kids for accommodation and meals and resident rates at the park to attract more locals. "Rugby tournaments, improved facilities in night clubs and security patrols have increased in counties, creating better tourist potential,” he said adding that security challenges, especially terrorism threats, competition, new taxes such as withholding tax and travel advisories have impacted negatively on the industry. He is optimistic that diversification of tourism to sports, medical and cultural events - aided by standardisation of hotels will attract more investors.