Nakuru Launches Tourism Board To Drive Investment, Economic Growth

By Suleiman Mbatiah

Efforts to unlock tourism-driven economic growth in Nakuru County received a major boost after Governor Susan Kihika inaugurated the Nakuru County Tourism Development and Marketing Board to market the region’s wildlife, culture and hospitality sectors to local and international audiences.

The establishment of the board comes amid concerns that Nakuru County has for years lacked a coordinated framework to manage and market its tourism sector, resulting in missed opportunities to attract major conferences, film productions, investors and higher visitor numbers despite the county’s vast tourism potential.

Stakeholders say fragmented promotion efforts and the absence of a unified destination marketing strategy limited the county’s ability to fully capitalize on its natural attractions, growing hospitality industry and strategic location within the Rift Valley and national tourism circuit.

County officials said the initiative forms part of broader efforts by Governor Kihika’s administration to diversify Nakuru’s economy by leveraging tourism, culture, trade and the creative economy as key drivers of growth.

Speaking during the inauguration, Nakuru County Tourism Association Chairman David Mwangi described Nakuru as a premium tourism destination with immense untapped potential in wildlife tourism, conferencing, culture, hospitality and film production.

He said the establishment of the board reflects growing recognition of tourism as a major economic pillar capable of creating employment and supporting businesses across the hospitality, transport and creative sectors.

“Nakuru has all the ingredients of a world-class tourism destination, from wildlife and natural attractions to a vibrant hospitality industry and rich cultural heritage,” Mwangi said.

Nakuru County is home to some of Kenya’s most prominent tourist attractions, including Lake Nakuru National Park, internationally renowned for its flamingos, rhinos and over 450 bird species. The county also hosts attractions such as Menengai Crater, one of the world’s largest surviving volcanic craters, Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site and Lord Egerton Castle, which continue to attract domestic and international tourists.

County Executive Committee Member for Trade, Cooperatives, Tourism and Culture Stephen Kuria said Nakuru’s location along the Nairobi-Eldoret transport corridor gives it a strategic advantage as a tourism, trade and investment hub.

He called for stronger collaboration between the county government, private investors, tour operators and hospitality players in positioning Nakuru as a competitive tourism destination within the region.

Kuria said Governor Kihika’s administration is increasingly focusing on diversifying tourism products beyond traditional wildlife safaris by promoting culture, cuisine, sports tourism, conferences and nature-based tourism.

According to Governor Kihika, the board will spearhead efforts to position Nakuru as a premier tourism, conference and filming destination through coordinated marketing, policy development and strategic partnerships. Its mandate includes supporting conferences and exhibitions, promoting cultural products and services, identifying emerging tourism market trends, and championing the conservation and promotion of tourism sites across the county.

The board is also expected to formulate policies to guide the sector, strengthen destination branding, attract private investment, improve coordination among tourism stakeholders and enhance Nakuru’s competitiveness in both domestic and international tourism markets.

“The initiative is expected to boost visitor numbers, create jobs, stimulate growth in hospitality and transport sectors, and increase revenue for local businesses and communities,” said Governor Kihika in a previous address.

The county government has in recent years intensified campaigns aimed at promoting domestic tourism and showcasing lesser-known attractions within Nakuru. In December 2024, the county partnered with stakeholders to launch the “Tembea Nakuru” campaign to market the region as a tourism and investment destination while highlighting over 30 tourism sites across the county.

Officials say the county is also seeking to capitalize on Nakuru City’s growing status as one of Kenya’s fastest-growing urban centres and a key gateway to the Rift Valley tourism circuit.

The inclusion of key industry figures such as Alfrida Boinett, Director of Kongoni Lodge Naivasha, and Duncan Mwangi, Regional General Manager for Sarova Woodlands and Sarova Lion Hill Lodge, would further strengthen the board’s industry representation and strategic direction.

Duncan is set to chair the crucial Marketing, Public Relations and Branding Committee, while Alfrida will lead the Finance and Resource Mobilisation Committee, positions expected to play a central role in shaping Nakuru’s tourism promotion and investment agenda.

According to available demographic data, Nakuru is Kenya’s fourth city and among the country’s leading urban economies, with a growing hospitality industry supported by improved road infrastructure and proximity to Nairobi.

Governor Kihika’s administration has repeatedly stated its intention to position Nakuru as a leading tourism and investment destination through partnerships with the private sector and aggressive destination marketing initiatives. County officials have also emphasized the need to promote emerging tourism products such as culture, heritage, horticulture, lake tourism and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions tourism, commonly known as MICE.

Tourism remains one of Kenya’s key foreign exchange earners and employment generators, with counties increasingly investing in local tourism boards and destination marketing strategies to attract both domestic and international travellers.

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya recorded about 7.9 million visitors in 2025, including 2.7 million international arrivals and 5.2 million domestic travellers, generating approximately KSh500 billion in tourism earnings.

The sector also continues to support millions of livelihoods directly and indirectly through hospitality, transport, culture, creative industries and conservation-related activities, with sustained growth being driven by increased domestic travel, improved infrastructure, aggressive destination marketing and expansion of conference tourism across the country.