Eldoret will this week host Kenya’s celebrations to mark UN Tourism Week as the country seeks to diversify its tourism offering beyond the traditional coastal and wildlife destinations.
The week-long event, running from September 21 to 27 at the University of Eldoret, will be held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”
The celebrations will spotlight digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) as emerging tools for enhancing Kenya’s tourism industry, with a focus on innovations, start-ups, digital solutions and best practices in travel technology and smart tourism.
Tourism Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the event would provide an opportunity for visitors and industry players to experience the tourism potential of Eldoret and the wider North Rift region.
“We have lined up many interesting activities to not only see but to actively participate in. We invite everyone to visit Eldoret and the greater North Rift to sample the glory of the true home of champions,” Bitok said.
Participants will include national and county governments, tourism investors, technology companies, innovators, scholars, conservationists and other industry stakeholders, alongside members of the public.
The programme will feature capacity-building sessions on the practical use of digital technologies and AI in tourism, targeting micro, small and medium enterprises, tour operators, hoteliers, tour guides, youth and community-based tourism enterprises.
Participants will also explore how AI and digital innovation can transform tourism businesses and create new opportunities for destinations and local communities.
Training and exhibitions will cover areas such as destination marketing, content creation, customer engagement, business development and market intelligence, with the aim of helping entrepreneurs and innovators improve their visibility and competitiveness.
The celebrations will also seek to showcase the people, places and lived experiences of the North Rift through organised road trips and a destination caravan to attraction sites, where participants will interact with local tourism enterprises and communities.
Among the activities planned are hot-air balloon rides, cultural experiences, active sports and visits to Eldoret’s entertainment and nightlife venues.
The organisers also hope to attract more international tourists by promoting experiences beyond Kenya’s traditional safari and beach tourism, including immersive cultural and sporting activities.
Tourism products, enterprises, innovations, cultural displays and creative works will be showcased during exhibitions designed to provide opportunities for networking, collaboration and market linkages.
Environmental conservation will form another component of the celebrations, with participants expected to take part in tree-growing and clean-up activities as part of efforts to promote sustainable tourism.
The hosting of the event in Eldoret comes as Kenya seeks to position the North Rift as an important tourism destination while leveraging technology to broaden the country’s tourism appeal and reach new markets.
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