Kenya will be hosting the 10th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference from the 15th to the 18th of December here in Nairobi. Kenya is the first African country to hold this conference. We will be expecting more than 6000 delegates and 160 member nations. With 6000 people coming into the country we would like to show them around. The delegates will be booking the various hotels like Villa Rosa Kempinski, Hemingways, Weston Hotel through the Gina Din Group. The hotels will have a chance to showcase our foods and our culture to the delegates.
What does this mean for Kenya? This means that as a country we will have a lot to benefit from this conference. Apart from what will be discussed in the conference, the tourism sector will be one to benefit the most. We will need to put our best foot forward when it comes to showcasing our different attraction sites.
The WTO conference will be held on the 15th to the 18th of December and Kenya is planning to showcase its tourism industry by offering tour packages. There are many tourist attraction sites that have been recommended including but not limited to, The Kenya National Museum, Lake Nakuru National Park and the Maasai Mara, Daphne Sheldrick Elephant Manor. To add onto the list, the different attraction sites should advertised in the media in order to attract more tourists.
The general economy of Kenya will benefit because of the circulation of foreign currency. Hopefully this will help to boost our currency which has not been doing well against the US dollar.
We have the burden of demystifying myths about sub-Saharan countries. For us this will be our opportunity to showcase the best of Kenya and show ourselves in the best light. We have to grab the opportunities presented to us to show that Africa is rising and convince investors to invest here.
Kenya Airways is the official airline carrier for the delegates and will work with other partner airlines. They have recommended some sites for the delegates to visit pre and post conference. I decided to list down some of which I think are must- visit locations.
Game parks and Reserves
Kenya is the only country with a national park within a capital city. This ought to be a nice place to visit for those that want to restrict their travel within Nairobi. They will get to see lions, Oryx, cheetahs and various birds on the safari. To see the big 5 animals they will have to go to the Maasai Mara which has lots of animals like the wildebeest which it is well-known for. If any of the delegates are coming with kids we have a few great suggestions for places to take children in Nairobi.
Golf Courses
There are many golf courses where the delegates can tee off and have a good time as they socialize and talk business. Golf tourism is something we need to highlight as we have some great golf courses. Many of the delegates coming probably play golf and this is a great way for them to see what we can offer. Some of the golf courses we have in Kenya are Windsor Golf Club, Sigona, Muthaiga golf course and many others.
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
This is a sanctuary for endangered animals. At the moment they have the last remaining five northern white rhinos in the world. They also shelter 105 black rhinos which are also endangered. Other endangered species found in here are, the gravy Zebra, The Jackson’s hartebeest and the African Wild dog. They have a game drive on their 90,000 acre piece of land which you must take.
The Maasai Market
Anyone who comes to Kenya should pass by Maasai market. There they can get sculptures, paintings and other artworks that portray Kenya and Africa as a whole. There are a lot of souvenirs they can carry and also learn the art of bargaining from Kenyanpoet. If they would prefer not to learn just have an Kenyan guide who can easily bargain for you.
The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Here they will be able to see orphaned baby elephants. They are given a home here and cared for because most of them are almost always injured when they come in or are heartbroken from losing their mothers. They are kept here for a while and then taken back to the wild when they are older. There is a dedicated team that ensures their well-being and you can foster an elephant at a minimum of 50$ per year.
Hike at Longonot and Ngong’ hills
I have chosen these as they take the shortest time to climb and come back down. They are worth it as you get to have a bird’s eye view of the underlying landscape.
Here are some of the other great spots we recommend in Nairobi. There are places like the Mamba Village where you can see a crocodile as your meat is being grilled. The giraffe center where you can see giraffes and feed them and also learn about the culture of the Africans as they have little sessions with guides. All in all Kenya is a beautiful country and hence there is a lot to see.
