How Kenya's tourism is riding on sports

**Toyota Gazoo driver Sebastien Ogier battles on the third day of the Safari Rally in Naivasha on June 24, 2023.** [WRC]

For decades, the fast cars zoomed in villages across the country before the event was downgraded to a Kenyan event.

In 2021, it returned to the World Rally Championship (WRC) calendar, and this year, it will start from the iconic Kenyatta International Convention Centre, KICC.

It will also be held from March 28 to 31, reclaiming its traditional spot as an Easter event and creating a "more successful and memorable experience", according to WRC Safari Rally Kenya event Director Jim Kahumbura.

With each driver supported by a crew of about 100 and foreign journalists in tow, few events command global attention as the Safari Rally with this year's event earmarked to hit the 100 million viewership mark.

East African Safari Classic Rally

This is the offshoot of the Safari Rally whose aim was to "revive the spirit of the original rally and cater to the classic car enthusiasts".

The rally traverses through some of East Africa's most scenic landscapes such as The Great Rift Valley and Amboseli in Kenya with spectacular views of Mount Kilimanjaro.

The rally has attracted key figures who previously raced in the Safari Rally such as Bjorn Waldegaard, Ian Duncan and Stiq Blomqvist. The effects of the rally on local tourism are no different from its sister event.

Participants and their crew members spend thousands of dollars on local communities during the event in terms of accommodation, meals, game drives and purchasing cultural artefacts.

Kip Keino Classic

On April 20, 2024, the fifth edition of the Kip Keino Classic will be staged at Nyayo National Stadium as part of the Continental Tour Gold series by World Athletics. It attracts athletes from all over the world thus giving it a global status.

In the last few events, hordes of foreign athletes and other sports enthusiasts have been seen thronging Nairobi National Park, the only wildlife park within the confines of a capital city.