Tour operators call for infrastructure upgrade to sustain tourism growth

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Tour operators in Kenya have called on the national and county governments to urgently improve infrastructure in key tourism destinations, warning that poor roads, inadequate park facilities, and weak air connectivity could undermine the country’s tourism industry and visitor experience.

Speaking while hosting a delegation of 125 African-American lawyers and judges from the US-based National Bar Association, Twiga Tours CEO Shazmin Manji, said Kenya’s tourism sector can only remain competitive if infrastructure challenges are addressed quickly through stronger collaboration between government agencies and private operators.

“When we look at the road networks within the parks, these sometimes need a lot of work. The recent flooding and rains have caused some challenges,” said Manji.

“The government should work closely in partnership with the tourism sector and where there are challenges of infrastructure, especially where bridges are washed away and road damaged, to come in and very quickly fix those problems,” she said.

She noted that many issues fall under county governments, and urged devolved units, the national government, and the Kenya Wildlife Service to work jointly with the private sector to address the same.

“These are usually county government issues, not national government issues. Therefore, we’re requesting not just the national government, but also county governments who own and manage these parks, together with KWS, to ensure the infrastructure meets guest expectations,” she said.

Tourism stakeholders have particularly raised concern over rough and poorly maintained roads in leading safari destinations including the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park and Tsavo National Park. Operators are pushing for all-weather roads that can withstand heavy rains and reduce travel time for tourists.

Industry players are also advocating for modernisation of coastal tourism facilities, including improved beach cleaning systems, upgraded recreational spaces, and enhanced amenities along Kenya’s coastline to maintain the appeal of the country’s beach destinations.

At the same time, operators are seeking expansion and upgrading of airstrips and airports in tourism circuits such as the Maasai Mara, Diani Beach and Manda Airport to improve domestic and international connectivity.

Manji further cited the lack of visitor amenities within parks, saying world-famous attractions were still struggling with basic facilities.

“When you get to our world-famous seventh wonder of the world, Maasai Mara, at the gate, the bathroom facilities are limited. There are no great photographic opportunities for guests to get out of the vehicle and take pictures,” she said.

“When they go onto game drives in many of the parks, there are no proper bathroom facilities available, and most airstrips do not have bathroom facilities.”

Despite the infrastructure concerns, Manji said Kenya remains a preferred long-haul destination for international travelers, especially from the United States, which continues to be Kenya’s leading tourism source market.

“The American market is a fantastic source market. It has been a leading source market for Kenya for many years, and that shows a great deal of confidence in our industry here by American travelers,” she said.

The visiting delegation from the National Bar Association chose Kenya as part of celebrations to mark the organisation’s 100th anniversary. During their five-day visit, the group is expected to tour Nairobi and the Maasai Mara.

“We are delighted today to be hosting a group of 125 African-American lawyers and judges from the USA,” said Manji. “As they celebrate their centennial year, they have chosen to do so in Kenya, and as Twiga Tours, we are delighted to be hosting them and showing them our beautiful, magical Kenya.”

She said Kenya’s tourism offering extends beyond wildlife safaris to include culinary tourism, nightlife, wellness tourism, sporting activities, and meetings and incentive travel.

“Why should you visit Kenya? We offer the best of everything. We offer the traditional safari and beach experience, but we also offer a lot more from nightlife to culinary safaris, family holidays, sporting activities, outdoor activities and wellness activities,” she said.

Meanwhile, President of the National Bar Association Ashley Upkins said the delegation selected Kenya because of its growing importance as a technology, trade, and investment hub.

“My name is Ashley Upkins. I am the president of the National Bar Association, the oldest and largest network of predominantly African-American judges, lawyers, law professors and law students,” she said.

“Once I was elected, I quickly decided that I wanted to make sure that we went back to the diaspora, and that being Kenya. We have not been here in several decades.”

Upkins said the delegation is keen on strengthening collaboration between Kenya and African-American professionals, especially in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

“You see a lot of US corporations looking at Kenya. There’s a reason Oracle is here, and there’s a reason some of these larger tech corporations are either here or making future plans to move here,” she said.

She revealed that the delegation held discussions with Chief Justice Martha Koome on possible collaborations around judicial reforms, training programs, and access to justice.

“We want to make sure that we come to Kenya to ensure that Kenyans know that we are here to stand in partnership, to share lessons learned, and to collaborate because I believe that’s important now more than ever,” said Upkins.