If you’re looking to refresh your body and soul, leave the ordinary behind and venture into the heart of the wild. /REBECCA MIANOKenya is staring at huge economic gains after it staved off stiff competition from Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy to win the bid to host the 2029 edition of the World Athletics Championships in Nairobi.
It will be the first time in history that the championships will be held on African soil, marking a prestigious moment not only for Kenya but for the entire continent.
Away from the fanfare, hosting the 2029 World Athletics Championships is projected to inject hundreds of billions of shillings into the Kenyan economy, positioning tourism as the primary beneficiary of the financial windfall.
Tens of thousands of international athletes, media personnel, sponsors and spectators are expected to start arriving in the country days before the event, affording them ample time to visit Kenya's tourist attraction sites.
Tourism CS Rebecca Miano described the privilege of hosting the global showcase as the ultimate invitation to the world to experience Magical Kenya.
"A great opportunity to open our doors to thousands of international fans, athletes and travellers who will get to experience our world-class hospitality, iconic wildlife and rich culture firsthand," Miano said moments after the news broke on Tuesday.
The World Athletics 2025 Annual Report and Accounts show that a new ticket marketing strategy implemented for the Tokyo 25 championships last year generated just over $3 million (Sh388 million), while Japan's direct and indirect tourism and hospitality earnings were equally substantial.
While Kenya has a different economic structure from Tokyo, the baseline potential for local commercial growth is unprecedented.
To put this in perspective, the Nairobi National Park right next to the capital city draws a unique mix of international transit safari-goers and local citizens during peak season, when the daily capacity cap of 333 is met or surpassed, based on a rough estimate of 10,000 visitors per month.
The peak-season daily entry fee for international tourists is $80 (Sh10,400), while Kenyan and East African citizen adults pay Sh1,000.
Kenyan resident adults pay Sh1,350, while children and students pay between Sh400 and Sh500.
Assuming a realistic 50/50 split between international tourists and local citizens and residents, the park brings in roughly $13,500 to $16,000 (approximately Sh1.7 million to Sh2 million) per day from ticketing alone.
This estimate increases when factoring in compulsory commercial vehicle entry fees, which range from Sh600 for standard six-seater safari vehicles to Sh4,500 for tour buses, as well as corporate event ground rentals and film crew permits.
When making the announcement on Tuesday during the 242nd World Athletics Council Meeting in Budapest, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said Nairobi had established particularly strong credentials as a host city, having previously hosted the World U18 Championships in 2017 and the World U20 Championships in 2021.
He said the events had helped build significant experience and expertise in staging global athletics competitions across the continent.
"Nairobi presented a compelling and emotional bid, and taking the World Athletics Championships to Africa for the first time will be historic. Nairobi has demonstrated emphatically that this is their moment," Coe said.
Miano said this was a historic moment for Africa, a big victory for Kenya and a big win for the country's tourism sector.
She extended her appreciation to President William Ruto, who championed the bid and provided strong endorsement of Nairobi's candidacy.
"Hats off to President William Ruto for sparing no effort in this bid, which has eventually driven it home. Get ready, world, and karibu Kenya, the origin of wonder," she said.
Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO June Chepkemei hailed Kenya's selection, saying the recognition was a fitting tribute to the country's rich athletics heritage and its enduring legacy as the Home of Champions.
"This is more than a victory for Kenyan athletics. It is a powerful affirmation of our place as an athletics powerhouse and a global sports tourism destination of the highest order," Chepkemei said.
She affirmed that KTB would work closely with the sports and tourism sectors, airlines, county governments and the private sector to design and deliver compelling tourism experiences and itineraries that translate the global spotlight into lasting tourism value for Kenya.
"This is the moment we have been building towards, and we intend to ensure that every visitor who comes for the athletics leaves as an ambassador for Kenya," she said in a statement.
"In 2029, millions across the globe will have Kenya on their radar. Our task is to convert that attention into arrivals, bringing visitors beyond the stadium to experience our wildlife, our coast, our culture, our adventure, our cuisine and our hospitality. We want them to come early, stay longer and travel wider across this remarkable country," she added.
The championships will be staged at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, which is currently undergoing renovation ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027.
Kenya has the highest net promoter score of any market, and athletics is the country's second-most-followed sport, behind only football.
World Athletics fan research found that 68 per cent of Kenyan people surveyed rated their interest in athletics as high, compared with a global average of 39 per cent, making Kenya the most athletics-interested market surveyed.
That passion is matched by sustained success at the highest level, with Kenya being the second-most-successful nation in World Athletics Championships history.
The country finished second on the medal table at the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, winning seven gold medals and 11 medals in total.
