By KPC Sports Reporter
Hospitality sector players and business owners in Naivasha are urging the government to negotiate an extension of Kenya’s hosting rights for the WRC Safari Rally beyond 2026, citing the event’s significant economic benefits to the region.
The globally renowned rally, which returned to the World Rally Championship calendar in 2021 after a 19-year absence, has turned Naivasha into a bustling tourism and business hub during the four-day motorsport spectacle.
The current hosting agreement between the rally promoter and the Kenyan government is set to expire in 2026 after a one-year extension was added to the original five-year contract that began in 2021.
Hospitality investors say the rally has dramatically boosted business across the region. John Mburu, General Manager of Hylise Hotel, said the event consistently drives high occupancy and has encouraged expansion in the hospitality sector.
“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,” Mburu said.
He added that the hotel plans to increase its conferencing capacity from 300 to 1,000 people and expand its bed capacity by 65 percent.
Mburu also welcomed the ongoing Rironi–Mau Summit Road Project, noting it would significantly reduce travel time between Nairobi and Naivasha and improve accessibility for visitors.
Grace Ndirangu, proprietor of Boon Suites, said the rally has driven strong demand for accommodation.
“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,” she said, adding that the facility has already expanded to include a conference centre.
According to the Tourism Research Institute, the 2021 and 2022 editions of the rally generated an estimated Sh38 billion in economic value.
The 2024 and 2025 events injected at least Sh6 billion into the economy within four days and supported more than 24,758 full-time equivalent jobs.
Local businesses have also benefited. Veronica Ndirangu of Jimmy’s Choma Bite along the Nairobi-Nakuru highway said sales have more than doubled during rally week.
“Before the rally we were selling seven goats every day. Right now, it’s 15 and above,” she said.
June Chepkemei, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Tourism Board, said the rally’s impact extends far beyond the competition stages.
“The Safari Rally is more than a motorsport. It is a partnership between communities, government, and the private sector delivering a world-class event,” she said.
This year’s rally is expected to attract about 600,000 spectators, including more than 10,000 visitors from across East Africa.
