Security has been beefed up and hotel bookings are picking up ahead of this year's Festac Africa festival which begins this weekend in Kisumu.
Over 7,000 participants from 50 countries in Africa and around the world have confirmed attendance for the event which runs from August 25 to September 1.
Festac Africa Festival, which was held for the first time in Dakar Senegal in 1966, is a celebration of African heritage and sustainable growth, serving as a convergence point for diverse cultures and industries.
Event aims to celebrate the continent’s uniqueness and identity while promoting Intra- Africa trade and creating a networking business platform across the world.
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o said the county has put in place adequate structures and measures to ensure the event is successful.
Nyong’o said preparations for the conference and meeting venues have been finalised.
He assured visitors and locals that security had been beefed up to guarantee their safety.
“I would like to tell the world that Kisumu is ready to host Festac Africa 2024. The venues are ready. Security has been tightened. Kisumu is just waiting for the delegates.”
The main venue for the event is Jomo Kenyatta International Stadium with participants expected to have 18 conference sessions.
Other events will include 20 sporting activities, different kinds of dances, music, poetry, drama, culinary arts and tourism where visitors will sample some of the key attraction sites within the Lakeside city and the Lake Region Economic Bloc.
The event has so far attracted 200 key note speakers, 100 performing artistes and 150 exhibitors all drawn from different parts of the continent.
Nyong'o added that this was the time for Kisumu to shine and show the world that Festac is still alive.
“Just like in 2022 when we became the first intermediary city to successfully host the Africities Summit, Kisumu will never be the same again after Festac.”
The governor said they have witnessed a massive increase in investments in Kisumu after Africities.
He said there has been a tourism boom and local and international conferences have increased.
The county was poised to host the event from May 20 to 26 but was postponed due to floods.
Nyong’o called on Kenyans to turn up in large numbers for the celebrations.
“As the chairman of the Lake Region Economic Block, I want to appeal to residents and business people from the 14 counties to come experience it,” he said.
According to Festac Africa chairman Yinka Abioye, the festival will provide the people from the different countries with an opportunity to trade, network and exchange culture and values.
He said various programmes, including theatre and movies, have been lined up for children to teach them about the continent, the self-pride in being African among others.
Lake Victoria Tourism Association chairperson Robinson Anyal expressed optimism that hotels in the region will be fully booked before the event begins.
Anyal said while hotels are not yet fully booked, he expects bookings to surge closer to the weekend.
"Most people tend to book at the last minute. We are hopeful that by the weekend or the day of the event, bookings will increase," he said.
Anyal added that currently, lower-tier accommodations like BnBs and homestays are doing well.
He added that with a bed capacity of 10,000 and 7,000 expected guests, they are ready to accommodate all visitors.
Anyal said hotels have been advised not to increase their rates and, in some cases, may even offer discounts to guests, particularly given the high cost of flights for travellers from other African countries who have to take multiple connections to reach Kisumu.
"We have requested our colleagues not to increase their rates and even in some instances give discounts to our guests."
