By Anderson Ojwang
Recently, Kisumu city marked a milestone by hosting the nation’s World International Tourism Week, a hallmark in the reawakening of the sleepy Western Tourist Circuit.
It marked the beginning of a journey to open and tap the potential of the Western tourist circuit, which is capable of triggering a new dispensation in the region and the national economy.
The Western Kenya circuit is arguably one of the least visited tour circuits in Kenya and yet has so much to offer to tourists.
The circuit boasts various destinations including Flora and Fauna in Kakamega Forest, Saiwa Swamp National Park, Mt Elgon National Park, Ruma, Crying Stones of Ilesi, Ndere National Park, Kisumu Museum, Homa Hills, Thim Lich ohinga and Lake Victoria among others.
The Western circuit is made up of ten counties namely: Kisumu, Bungoma, Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya, Trans Nzoia, and Vihiga
The circuit for the past four decades has operated in the shadows of Coastal, Nairobi, Mt Kenya, Southern, and Eastern Circuits, which have continued to record huge volumes of international and domestic tourists visiting the various destinations.
In 2023 earnings from international arrivals amounted to Sh 352,5 billion, which represented an increase of around 32 percent in comparison to the previous year.
In the same year, Kenya recorded1,9 million international visitor arrivals with USA accounting for 265,000, Uganda and Tanzania with over 201,000 and 1568,000 respectively.
In 2020, the number of international visitors to Kenya declined sharply, and consequently, the sector’s revenue fell to Sh 89 billion.
In 2020, tourism engaged roughly 6.4 percent of the total employment in Kenya and the scale of the contribution of tourism to the Kenya economy was found to be substantial, generating over 5 percent of GDP.
Kenya has nine tourism circuits that span different regions namely: the Nairobi Circuit, Central Kenya Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Northern Circuit, Western Circuit, Southern Circuit, North Rift Circuit, South Rift Circuit, and Eastern Circuit.
The Coastal Circuit accounts for the majority of the country’s revenue as it is the preferred destination by both international and local.
But the central Kenya circuit is the ultimate destination for adventurous travelers after a considerable challenge, especially with the steep slopes of Mount Kenya.
Most visited destinations in the central Kenya circuit include Mount Kenya National Park, Mount Longonot National Park, and Aberdare National Park.
Similarly, the Southern circuit also boasts various destinations including Amboseli National Park, Chyulu Hills National Park, Tsavo East National Park, and Tsavo West National Park.
The recent World Tourism Day was aimed at focusing on developing the country’s western tourism circuit – a collection of attractions, parks, reserves, and cultural sites.
State Department for Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa said all tourist sites in the region have been mapped out, laying the foundations for development, packaging, and aggressive marketing.
He said the Ministry of Wildlife and Tourism, in collaboration with the Kenya Tourism Board, will focus on Lake Victoria, water sports, islands, historical sites, cultural diversity, and wildlife to boost tourist numbers.
“Our agenda is to develop the necessary auxiliary infrastructure to ensure that sites are accessible and attractive to local and international tourists,” he said.
Kenya Tourism Board CEO June Chepkemei emphasized that KTB will market the circuits to showcase Kenya’s diverse attractions that will play a pivotal role in ensuring tourism opportunities reach every County, driving inclusive growth and satisfying Kenya’s status as a must-visit destination.
“Plans to co-market the Western Kenya tourism circuit alongside other renowned destinations such as the Maasai through infrastructure development will enhance accessibility in efforts to spread visitor numbers and spending, “she said.
The Permanent Secretary said the government was committed to attracting public-private partnerships to promote the development of infrastructure including roads, airstrips, and hotel facilities in the Western Circuit.
Ololtuaa said the campaign was aimed at redirecting traffic to the area and connecting it with other tourism hubs in the country.
“We are looking for ways of connecting the western tourism circuit with Maasai Mara so that tourists coming to see the wildebeest migration can extend their stay to sample Lake Victoria and water sports and visit our islands and other attractions across the region,’ he said.
The PS said one of the proposals was to build a tar road linking the towns of Awendo to Kilgoris for visitors to easily move from Maasai Mara to the Homa Bay and Kisumu counties.
“We are collaborating with county governments in this circuit to document all sites and market them home and away,” he said.
The PS said the documentation will help the Ministry to make adjustments to the sites by developing infrastructure.
Kisumu County Tourism Chief Officer Mr. Timothy Kajwang said the circuit is fast evolving and positioning itself as a destination in the country.
He said several hotels have been constructed in major towns in the region and this will go a long way in redefining the circuit as one of the busy tourist destinations.
‘Kisumu has poised itself in terms of offering tourism facilities which has in return doubled its revenue and the government was working on a program to open up various tourist sites in the region,” he said.
Lake Victoria Tourism Association Chief Executive Officer Mr. Charles Gatoro appealed for enhanced private-sector involvement in the development of local tourism with the government creating an enabling environment.
“The private sector can help bridge the gap through the development of hotels and accommodation facilities in some of these areas to attract visitors and generate revenue for government.”
Kisumu’s Deputy Gover Dr. Mathews Owili challenged both local and international tourists to support efforts aimed at enabling tourism benefits to permeate the Western circuit and also recognizing its unique natural and cultural endowment.
He said the region’s lake ecosystem was a resource that could be marketed as an alternative to the Coastal regions beach destinations.
“Ndere Island and other surrounding Islands on the lake provide a unique opportunity to tap into the tourism potential in the Western Region,” he said.
Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu, also the Chair of the Governor’s Tourism & Wildlife Committee urged for increased government allocation to tourism.
