The hospitality industry in Kisumu is already recording a boon two months to the Africities Conference set for May 17.
Already all the 2, 000 accredited hotel spaces in Kisumu are fully booked.
The organizers of the event have however identified at least 7, 000 accommodation spaces within the neighbouring counties to host the guests.
The event organizers also looking into utilizing home stay facilities and Air BnBs to supplement the accommodation spaces.
Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o noted that all hotels have been accredited, with the accreditation of the other facilities already going on.
In a speech read on his behalf by Tourism Executive Member Achie Alai, during an Africities engagement forum with the media, the Governor said there was ongoing expansion of infrastructure to accommodate the over 10, 000 delegates expected at the feet.
Engagement of stakeholders
The Governor said there are ongoing engagements to ensure stakeholders from the different sectors play their part before, during and after the feet.
“We are also engaging farmers to increase their produce so that they are able to supply the hotels with enough food,” he said.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing construction of the Africities Conference Centre will be complete before the event.
To increase accessibility from Kisumu International Airport to the event venue, the Riat-Mamboleo road is expected to be tarmacked.
Alai who is the chair of the Tourism Committee of Africities Conference said the organizers are working on a full menu of entertainment aimed at exposing the culture of Kenyans.
“We will be asking hotels to give us their entertainment programs for each of the four nights so as to get to inform the guests who may need the varieties to sample,” she said.