Kenya’s sports tourism sector has shown remarkable strides as depicted from the series of successful international sporting events hosted in the country.
The World Rugby Under-20 Championship held in Nairobi from 15-30 July 2023 saw the country host a number of teams from around the globe including the USA, Scotland, Zimbabwe, Spain, and others.
The Kenyan leg of the championship held in June and the Absa Kip Keino Classic at Kasarani in May had positive ripple effects on Kenya’s tourism sector. It led to the boosting of the country’s reputation as a preferred sports destination
Director of Business Development and Operations at PrideInn Hotels, Resorts, and Camps, Jackton Amutala emphasized on the rapid growth of sports tourism in Kenya.
“Kenya’s success in hosting international sporting events like the World Rugby Under-20 Championship has positioned us on the global sports tourism map. These events have attracted numerous international sportsmen and women, along with their families and supporters, thereby generating foreign exchange and contributing to the growth of the tourism sector,” he said.
According to Amutala, the government and tourism stakeholders should support and nurture the sports tourism sector by investing in infrastructure, promotion and marketing of Kenya and training and capacity building which will enhance the country’s capabilities to host international sporting events of various scales, attracting a broader range of sports tournaments.
“When it comes to investment in infrastructure, we would like to thank the government for its continued support of ongoing upgrades done in our sports facilities and event venues. However, we need to do more renovations to ensure that these places are up to par with the venues offered in international markets,” said Amutala.
PrideInn acted as host to the teams that participated in the championship.
Sally Namuye
