Kisumu hospitality and transport sectors are reaping big as the fourth annual Legislative Summit kicked off yesterday.
The event brings together senators, MCAs from the 47 county assemblies and devolution stakeholders at the Grand Royal Swiss Hotel.
Western Kenya Hospitality Leaders Association chairman Robinson Anyal said all the hotels are full as more than 4,000 delegates attend the four-day summit.
“The 40 standardised hotels and 20 guesthouses and apartments are all booked. We have a direct benefit from the summit,” Anyal said.
He said the guests are also visiting the parks and fish points along the beaches as well as enjoying boat rides.
The event has provided an opportunity for direct and indirect marketing of the available facilities for future conferences, he said.
“It is a direct business for the hoteliers in the town. We expect good income from the business opportunity,” the chairman said.
He said the event provides small scale traders, transport and hospitality sectors with a good opportunity to do business.
“Accommodation, transport and attraction sectors are reaping big,” Anyal said.
Hotel bookings were at 60 per cent over the weekend as visitors trooped in Kisumu, he said.
Some of the hotels' management have increased their rates from Sh2,500 to Sh4,000 a night while those that go at Sh3,600 now cost Sh6, 000 per night.
Attraction sites and night club joints are experiencing a high level of activity.
Grand Royal Swiss Hotel general manager Shanawaz Basheer termed the summit "a huge business opportunity to hoteliers in Kisumu". He said Grand Royal was booked at 100 per cent.
The annual conference was preceded by pre-summit events over the weekend. Those in car hire business have been working day and night since the pre-summit, taxi operator Benard Ochieng said.
“I have not slept well for two days. The summit has provided a business opportunity,” Ogola Otieno said.
Guests were spotted trooping into food joints especially those who were visiting Kisumu for the first time.
Several visitors have been touring the famous Lwang’ni beach, Dunga and Tilapia among others to eat fish.
Edited by R.Wamochie
