By OUR CORRESPONDENT
Hospitality sector players and business owners in Naivasha and its environs are appealing to the government to negotiate for an extension of the WRC Safari Rally hosting rights beyond 2026, citing the event’s significant economic impact on the region.
The annual motorsport event, which returned to the WRC calendar in 2021 after a 19-year absence, has transformed Naivasha into a tourism and commercial hub, with hotels, restaurants, transport operators, and small-scale traders recording increased revenues during the four-day spectacle.
The current agreement between Safari Rally and the WRC is expected to end in 2026 after the promoter and the Kenyan government agreed to a one-year extension to the initial five-year contract that commenced in 2021.
John Mburu, General Manager of Hylise Hotel, highlighted sustained occupancy and expansion plans. “I have had a full house for the last ten days. Most guests are associated with the Safari Rally, including international visitors who booked months ago. We are increasing conferencing capacity from 300 to 1,000 people and bed capacity by 65 percent. The rally is a very good platform to market Kenya and we hope for an extension beyond this year,” he said.
Mburu also welcomed the Rironi – Mau Summit Road project, describing it as long overdue. “It will cut travel time between Nairobi and Naivasha considerably. Our request is that access to hotels near the highway should be considered to ensure guests can enter and exit easily in both directions.”
Grace Ndirangu, Proprietor of Boon Suites, said early bookings reflect strong demand driven by the event. “We achieved 100 percent booking, with reservations made a month in advance. I would plead with the government to secure more years as the rally is proving profitable to us. We have expanded and now have a conference centre because guests have been asking for more meeting spaces,” she said.
According to data from the Tourism Research Institute, the 2021–22 rally events generated an estimated Sh38 billion in total economic value. The 2024 and 2025 editions are estimated to have injected at least Sh6 billion into the economy in just four days of competition. The rally has also supported over 24,758 full-time equivalent jobs.
Veronica Ndirangu of Jimmy’s Choma Bite, a Nyama Choma eatery along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway, noted a significant uptick in sales: “The rally is very good for us. Before the rally, we were selling seven goats every day. Right now, it’s 15 and above. We really appreciate and pray that we get this event here each and every year.”
On her part, Kenya Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer June Chepkemei said the Safari Rally Kenya delivers impact far beyond the competition stages.
“The Safari Rally is more than a motorsport. It is a partnership between communities, government, and private sector delivering a world-class event. Hotels fill up, restaurants welcome visitors, and small businesses see increased activity. The event has been instrumental in driving tourism, supporting livelihoods, and showcasing Kenya to the world,” Chepkemei said.
Tourism stakeholders in the region have cited substantial investments made in the hospitality industry since 2021 and the diversity of the region’s attractions as reasons for optimism about sustained tourist interest if the rally continues.
Hotels and accommodation facilities across Naivasha have consistently recorded near-full or 100 percent occupancy during rally week, with room rates more than doubling in some establishments.
This year’s Safari Rally is expected to attract an estimated 600,000 spectators, including over 10,000 regional visitors from East Africa.
