Kisumu County has positioned tourism as a key driver of economic transformation as it seeks to attract more visitors, investment, and business opportunities through the Kisumu Tourism Fiesta.
Deputy Governor Dr. Mathew Owili said Kisumu’s location on the shores of Lake Victoria, combined with its cultural heritage and growing hospitality industry, gave it significant potential to become a major tourism destination in the region.
To this end, he said the county was deliberately positioning tourism as a strategic pillar of its development agenda, noting that the sector creates jobs, stimulates investment, preserves culture, and opens opportunities for communities across the tourism value chain.
Speaking during the official launch of the Kisumu Tourism Fiesta at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Complex on Tuesday, Owili said the week-long celebration would showcase the county’s culture, heritage, creativity, innovation, and tourism potential.
He said the county was working to position Kisumu as a premier lake tourism destination in East Africa, a blue economy tourism hub, and a regional center for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), as well as a destination for cultural and heritage tourism.
Owili cited continued investments in transport infrastructure, urban renewal, waterfront development, hospitality, sports facilities, environmental conservation, and public spaces as part of efforts to transform Kisumu into a modern and competitive tourism destination.
The Deputy Governor noted that Kisumu had increasingly hosted regional conferences, international forums, sporting championships, cultural festivals, and other major events, generating business for hotels, transport providers, traders, artisans, and local entrepreneurs.
He revealed the county will next month host the seventh County Assemblies Sports Association (CASA) Games, which are expected to bring more than 10,000 participants from the 47 counties.
Owili also assured tourists, exhibitors, and other visitors of enhanced security during the Tourism Fiesta, saying the county was working with security agencies to ensure the celebrations proceeded without disruption.
He said the improved security situation in Kisumu should give visitors confidence to attend the event, adding that the county and security agencies were prepared to address security concerns throughout the tourism week. “So let there be no fear,” Owili said.
The Deputy Governor also announced a two-year partnership between the County Government of Kisumu and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) aimed at advancing women in tourism development.
He said the partnership will support women with skills, opportunities, and support to participate in tourism value chains, entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable destination development.
The county has also invested in the creative economy, with Owili highlighting a music recording and production studio established at the Mama Grace Onyango Social Centre.
He said the facility will provide young artists, musicians, and content creators with infrastructure to produce, market, and export Kisumu’s creative talent to regional and global audiences.
County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Tourism, Cooperatives, Industry, and Marketing Farida Salim said the Kisumu Tourism Fiesta was an annual event held in September as part of the global Tourism Week celebrations.
Ms. Salim said this year’s celebrations were aligned with the theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” with activities running from Tuesday to Saturday.
She said the programme includes a youth symposium, a media familiarization tour, a street carnival celebrating Kisumu’s culture, and the second edition of the city’s motorsport tourism event.
Salim said the celebrations were intended to showcase Kisumu’s tourism products and cultural heritage to residents, visitors, and an international audience.
She said the county had also partnered with experts to engage university students pursuing hospitality management on the use of digital platforms and emerging opportunities in the tourism sector in the Western Kenya circuit.
Among those expected to engage the students are representatives from Utalii College and the French Chamber of Commerce, with discussions also focusing on linking language skills to opportunities in the tourism industry.
“We are linking languages to opportunities,” Salim said, urging young people undertaking tourism-related courses to participate in the fiesta.
She said the county was committed to turning its plans into practical initiatives and ensuring that the tourism sector continues to create opportunities within Kisumu.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Kisumu County Assistant Director Hussein Halake, on his part, said they were working with the county to diversify tourism products across the Lake Victoria basin in a bid to increase visitor numbers and improve livelihoods of communities.
He said efforts were underway to improve visitor experiences at Ndere Island National Park, including the development of nature trails that allow visitors to explore the park, alongside bird watching and crocodile viewing.
KWS is also undertaking renovations at Impala Sanctuary, aimed at improving the facility and expanding the range of activities available to visitors, including sundowners, picnics, and bird watching.
Halake said diversification of tourism products would help increase visitation to the area and generate benefits across Kisumu County.
Meanwhile, Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) Deputy Director in Kisumu County Robinson Njuki said the authority will use the fiesta to promote quality and excellence in tourism services and enterprises.
Njuki said TRA will undertake a classification sensitisation programme targeting tourism facilities in the county, with the process expected to help facilities meet minimum requirements and comply with tourism regulations.
He said classification and accreditation will also help expose Kisumu’s tourism facilities to markets within Kenya and internationally.
Njuki said TRA remained committed to working with the county government and other stakeholders to improve the quality of tourism products and services offered in Kisumu.
The fiesta brings together government agencies, tourism stakeholders, exhibitors, and other partners to showcase Kisumu’s tourism, cultural, and hospitality products as the county seeks to strengthen its position within the Lake Victoria tourism circuit.
Owili invited residents, investors, and visitors to experience Kisumu’s tourism attractions, including Dunga Wetlands, Ndere Island National Park, and Lake Victoria, saying the county’s natural and cultural assets remained central to its tourism ambitions.
According to data from Kenya’s tourism sector, it generated approximately Sh500 billion (around USD 3.85 billion) in total revenue for 2025 as compared to slightly less than Sh400 billion the previous year, and Kenya’s tourism sector continued to record growth in 2025, with international visitor arrivals increasing by 6.2 per cent to 2.7 million, up from 2.50 million in 2024.
Hotel bed-night occupancy also rose by 12.6 per cent to 11.56 million, with domestic travelers accounting for 45 per cent of the occupied bed nights, underscoring the contribution of domestic tourism.
Kisumu has a diverse range of tourism attractions spanning wildlife, culture, heritage, and nature. Key destinations include Ndere Island National Park, Kisumu Impala Sanctuary, Dunga Wetlands, Kit Mikayi, Kisumu Museum, and the Lake Victoria shoreline, which offer experiences ranging from wildlife viewing and bird watching to cultural tours and water-based activities.
The county also has several emerging and lesser-known attractions that can broaden its tourism offering. These include Kusa Wetlands, Hippo Point, Lwanda Magere, Abindu Cultural Site, Odino Falls, Kajulu Hills, and the Songhor Paleontological Site. The attractions provide opportunities for ecotourism, cultural tourism, heritage experiences, and community-based tourism.
World Tourism Day is celebrated globally every year on September 27, with the Tourism Week usually taking place during the same week.
The date marks the anniversary of the adoption of the UN Tourism Statutes on September 27, 1970.
This moment is considered the biggest milestone in global tourism, paving the way for the establishment of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).
By Mabel Keya-Shikuku and Dorothy Pamella and Rose Anyul
