- Rally enthusiasts have gathered in Naivasha this weekend for the 2025 installment of the WRC Safari Rally event.
- The four-day gathering is expected to draw 100,000 attendees in person and will be viewed by more than 85 million spectators globally.
- Naivasha's hotels are completely booked up with thousands of rally drivers and visitors looking for places to stay.
Boniface Otieno, a reporter for INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.co.ke, boasts over a decade of experience in finance, economics, commerce, stock markets, and aerospace sectors, offering analysis on both Kenyan and international developments.
Nakuru Hotels in Naivasha are completely reserved due to the attendance of hundreds of visitors for the 2025 staging of the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally event, which commenced earlier this week.
Organizers of the event stated that they anticipate a minimum of 100,000 attendees hailing from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and throughout the broader East African Community (EAC) zone will participate. This influx is predicted to boost tourist figures not only locally but also further afield.
Hotels in Naivasha report fully booked reservations.
The general manager of Hylise Hotel, John Mburu, stated that all 66 rooms have been completely reserved.
He mentioned that the hotel was well-equipped for the major task regarding personnel, tools, supplies, and various other resources.
We are indeed welcoming guests warmly; our establishment has 57 rooms accommodating 66 beds," explained Mr. Mburu. "Currently, every room is occupied and will remain so until after the rally.
The chief engineer of Enashipai, Shem Onyara, has also verified that all 135 rooms at the establishment have been reserved.
Onyara added, 'The entire hotel has been occupied by the rally drivers.'
The 2025 WRC Safari Rally marks the second-to-last event under the five-year agreement Kenya has made with the World Championships.
It is planned from Wednesday, March 19 to Sunday, March 23 this year.
"We aim to engage the fans as extensively as we can. It’s important to us that the audience experiences and savors the rally with maximum safety. A fan interaction session will take place at the Safari Centre, and we’ve relocated the podium ceremony from the Service Centre to Hells Gate," stated WRC Safari Rally CEO Charles Gacheru.
The event typically took place around the time of Easter festivities.
"One of the consistent advantages of Safari each year is that we draw a significant number of international visitors eager to experience all our nation has to offer," stated Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya in a press release.
In addition to the tourists, the Cabinet secretary pointed out that the Safari Rally also played a crucial role in enhancing the local economy.
"Thanks to sports tourism, I've noticed that the vegetable sellers (mama mbogas) are thriving economically," he explained. "The hospitality sector in Naivasha is expanding rapidly, which is quite encouraging. We’ve observed an increase in reservations leading up to the weekends," added Mvurya.
During the launch ceremony of the event in Nairobi, President William Ruto stated that the prestigious occasion is expected to attract over 85 million spectators from approximately 150 nations worldwide.
"They will do this via their television screens, whereas people near Naivasha in Kenya will be watching it live over the next four days," he stated.
This event is set to provide significant support to the hospitality sector, which has witnessed an increase in tourist arrivals over recent years.
In 2024, Kenya witnessed a significant boost in its tourism industry as incoming earnings climbed by 19.79%, totaling KSh 452.2 billion, as reported by the Tourism Research Institute.
Previously, INSPIRATIONS DIGITAL.co.ke mentioned that the Safari Rally is frequently regarded as one of the toughest and riskiest stages of the World Rally Championship.
The loose surface of dirt and gravel, which turns into mud at the first sign of rain, adds difficulty for the drivers competing out there.
The Safari Rally takes place on rocky, rutted, and dirt roads that challenge the competing vehicles, setting it apart from most World Rally Championship events, which typically occur on well-surfaced gravel or asphalt paths.
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