Kisumu rebirth: From lakeside gateway to an events hotbed

 

An aerial view of Kisumu city, capturing its expanding urban landscape, commercial buildings and busy streets, with the vast waters of Lake Victoria visible in the background. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard]

Once known mainly as a gateway to Lake Victoria, Kisumu is steadily rewriting its identity, emerging as a regional hub for major sporting competitions, international conferences and cultural festivals.

From cyclists racing through its streets to delegates and creatives converging on the lakeside city, the growing calendar of events is drawing attention to Kisumu’s potential beyond tourism, opening new opportunities for hotels, transport operators, traders and the creative industry.

Now, the county government is seeking to turn this growing visibility into lasting economic gains by marketing Kisumu’s cultural heritage, ecotourism attractions and Lake Victoria’s blue economy to encourage visitors to stay longer and discover more of what the city has to offer.

The African Road Cycling Championships, which concluded on October 25, brought together cyclists from across Africa, giving Kisumu international visibility.

The ongoing County Assemblies Sports Association Games (CASA) and the inaugural World Talent Conference, running from October 26 to 30, are attracting thousands of participants.

The busy calendar will continue into November, with the County Public Service Boards National Forum scheduled for November 9 to 13, followed by the sixth edition of the Piny Luo Festival from December 14 to 16.

An aerial view of Kisumu city, capturing its expanding urban landscape, commercial buildings and busy streets, with the vast waters of Lake Victoria visible in the background. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard]

For the county government, these events are part of a broader strategy to position Kisumu as a destination for sports, conferences, culture and ecotourism, while exploiting opportunities presented by Lake Victoria and the city’s growing creative economy.

Farida Salim, the County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Tourism, Industry and Marketing, said the county had intensified its marketing efforts following the hosting of major events, including the 2022 Africities Summit, which attracted approximately 11,000 delegates.

She said the county launched the Kisumu My Trade campaign in 2023 to promote the city as a tourism destination and investment hub, encouraging visitors to combine business with experiences that showcase the region’s attractions.

“The more we have been showcasing and profiling Kisumu, the more attraction Kisumu has got out of that journey,” Salim said.

She cited the city’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music in 2025, alongside its cultural festivals and sporting competitions, as milestones in raising Kisumu’s international profile.

The city’s connectivity through road, rail, air and water transport, coupled with its cultural heritage and location along Lake Victoria, provides opportunities to attract visitors beyond those attending events.

Kisumu’s attractions include Ndere Island National Park, Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, Dunga Wetlands, Kit Mikayi and Kisumu Museum, offering opportunities for wildlife viewing, bird watching, cultural tours and nature-based experiences. Other sites, including Kusa Wetlands, Hippo Point, Kajulu Hills and Odino Falls, could further diversify the tourism offering.

Small-scale traders attend to customers at a roadside food stall at Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu on October 29, 2026. [Daniel Ogendo, Standard]

Salim said the county was working with hospitality and tourism players to develop attractive packages that encourage visitors to explore these destinations and extend their stays.

“There is one thing to read about a place, and there is another thing to experience that place,” she said.

She added the county wanted visitors to experience Kisumu beyond conference halls and sporting venues, including its beaches, cultural heritage, local cuisine and water-based activities.

“The more they stay, the more money circulates in the economy,” Salim said, noting that the county was also promoting domestic tourism to encourage residents to enjoy local attractions.

The growing number of events has created opportunities for the hospitality industry, although hotel operators say the benefits have not been uniform.

At Royal City Group of Hotels, group sales executive Nolta Awuor said the events had demonstrated Kisumu’s potential as a meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) destination.

She welcomed the organisers who selected the city as a host, saying the final quarter of the year was expected to be particularly busy for the hospitality sector.

However, she said some hotels were yet to receive the level of confirmed bookings anticipated, despite the large number of delegates expected.

An aerial view of Kisumu city, capturing its expanding urban landscape, commercial buildings and busy streets, with the vast waters of Lake Victoria visible in the background. [Rodgers Otiso, Standard]

“We have even given special offers to our guests, but they still demand lower rates that will impact our average daily rate negatively,” Awuor said.

She attributed some of the pressure to competition from short-term accommodation providers, including Airbnb operators, whose prices can be lower than those of established hotels.

At Mirage Palace Hotel, guest relations and corporate communications official Ronald Reagan said the cycling championships had increased demand for accommodation, food and refreshments.

The hotel hosted members of Eritrea’s cycling team, as well as Kenyan participants, officials and technical personnel.

Reagan said the CASA Games were also generating business, with guests making bookings for short stays and increasing demand for restaurant services.

He said the benefits extended beyond hotels to farmers supplying fresh produce, transport operators, food vendors and other service providers.

However, he called for improved security and accessibility, particularly around beach areas and other tourism sites where activities tend to decline at night.

Reagan said better infrastructure and enhanced security would make it easier for visitors to explore more of Kisumu rather than limiting their movements to event venues and the city centre.