Eldoret hosts UN Tourism Week as Kenya looks beyond safaris

Eldoret, the North Rift city best known as the home of Kenya's distance runners, hosted Kenya's 2026 UN Tourism Week from 21 to 27 September at the University of Eldoret.

The week led up to World Tourism Day on 27 September. This year's theme was "Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism".

Beyond beaches and safaris

Kenya's tourism has long been built on its coast and its wildlife parks. By holding the week in Eldoret, the government is trying to put other regions on the map.

Tourism Principal Secretary Julius Bitok invited visitors to experience what he called "the true home of champions", a reference to the region's world-famous athletes.

What was on the programme

According to Citizen Digital, the week included:

• training on digital tools and AI for tourism businesses;
• workshops on content creation and destination promotion;
• product and technology exhibitions;
• caravan trips to tourism sites in the North Rift;
• cultural and sports experiences, and hot-air balloon rides;
• tree planting and clean-up activities.

Organisers invited government officials, investors, technology companies, scholars, conservationists, tour operators, hoteliers, guides and small businesses.

Technology at the centre

The focus on AI reflects how travellers now plan trips: through search, social media and online booking. Kenya's goal is to use those tools for destination marketing, customer engagement and managing tourism businesses.

The Kenya Wildlife Service launched its KenyaLIVE wildlife streams the same week, a sign of how the sector is using digital channels to reach visitors before they travel.