By GPC Sports Desk Kenya’s high-altitude training camps are attracting growing interest from international athletes and sports enthusiasts seeking to experience the training environment ahead of the 2029 World Athletics Championships.
The North Rift, renowned globally for its athletics heritage and high-altitude training facilities, is already receiving enquiries from athletes interested in coming to Kenya to train, with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) viewing the trend as an opportunity to expand the country’s sports tourism offering.
KTB chairman Francis Gichaba said the opportunity would allow visitors to go beyond watching competitions and experience the landscapes, training camps and communities that have helped shape the success of Kenyan athletes.
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He said the Board was mapping and packaging key attractions and experiences linked to the region’s sporting heritage to position the North Rift as a destination where visitors can connect with the journey behind Kenya’s athletics success.
“We are actively mapping and packaging the region’s key attractions, with sports tourism as a major selling point. The opportunity is to allow visitors to experience not just the competitions in the stadiums, but also the journey, environment and communities that produce our champions,” said Gichaba.
Kenyan athletics legend and Olympic champion Kipchoge Keino said the 2029 championships would provide an opportunity to showcase Kenya’s ability to host major international sporting events while attracting visitors interested in experiencing the country’s renowned athletics training environment.
“Hosting the World Athletics Championships in Kenya is a major opportunity and shows how far the country has come. Our athletes have helped put Kenya on the global map, and now we have an opportunity to welcome the world and show that we are capable of hosting an event of this scale,” said Keino.
“We shall be engaging with the federations and other stakeholders to ensure that we are fully prepared. As a destination, we are ready to demonstrate what Kenya can offer.”
Keino said scores of training camps in the region were already receiving enquiries from athletes and other people interested in coming to Kenya to train, with interest reported from Europe, Asia, Australia and the United States.
According to KTB, the growing interest presents an opportunity to develop a broader tourism offering combining athletics with nature, culture, adventure and community experiences.
The approach is expected to encourage visitors to explore the North Rift, extend their stays and support local tourism enterprises.
Kenya competed against Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy in the bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships, which will be the first edition of the global event to be held on African soil.
