The number of tourist arrivals in Kisumu has increased significantly following the launch of an aggressive campaign to promote the lakeside county as a destination of choice.
Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang Nyong’o said the campaign dubbed ‘Kisumu My Pride’ has positioned the county as a premier destination showcasing the area’s vibrant culture and key attraction sites.
He said records from the Ministry of Tourism indicated a substantial increase in the number of tourists visiting Kisumu compared to the previous years, highlighting the county’s potential to attract more visitors.
According to the Ministry’s Exit Survey (ES) conducted in April 2023, Kisumu International Airport recorded 1, 820 tourist arrivals during the period under review.
The highest number of arrivals were recorded at the Busia border with 147, 125 tourists followed by Malaba with 47, 132 tourists.
Nyong’o lauded the growth in tourists’ arrivals which he said has impacted positively on the economy, boosted revenue collections and created job opportunities for the locals.
Speaking during a roundtable meeting with stakeholders in the tourism sector, Nyong’o said despite the positive indicators, Kisumu has the potential to attract more tourists.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we must grow these numbers. Kisumu can do better and this is why this roundtable meeting is very important for us,” he said.
Prof. Nyongó said the just concluded Fish Fiesta 2024, which is the county’s signature tourism event, was successful and called for more partnerships with all the stakeholders to attract more tourists.
“Let us leverage on the networks and relationships established through the Fish Fiesta and the Kisumu My Pride Campaign to drive initiatives that will have a lasting impact on our community,” he said.
By Chris Mahandara
