The Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) has partnered with the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation to promote the region as a prime tourism destination. LREB Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Victor Nyagaya announced that this collaboration would position Kisumu County as the first port of call for all tourists arriving in Kenya from India. While addressing delegates at the Festac Africa Festival Tourism Summit in Kisumu on Thursday, Nyagaya emphasised that LREB is home to unique and under-exploited tourist attractions.
“The discussions with the Indian state corporation are at an advanced stage, and we are on the verge of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish Kisumu County as the regional hub for tourism between Kenya and India,” he revealed. This, the CEO added, would ensure that tourists from India make Kisumu their first destination before exploring other parts of the country. He noted that over 400,000 Kenyans travelled to India annually for medical services, while approximately one million Indians visit Kenya each year for business and leisure.
Nyagaya highlighted the rich scenic beauty across the 14 counties under LREB, urging both local and foreign tourists to explore these sites before venturing to other parts of Kenya. “We need to change the tourism destination narrative by making this region the starting point, followed by visits to the Masai Mara, and concluding with Mombasa,” he proposed. He called on stakeholders to support the bl.