Kenya bets on 2029 World Athletics Championships to grow tourism

• Visitors attending the championships were encouraged to make the most of their time in the country by arriving early, extending their stays and exploring destinations beyond Nairobi.

Faith Kipyegon speaks during the breakfast meeting at State House, NairobiThe 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi are set to drive higher tourism arrivals to Kenya by placing the country in the global spotlight and encouraging athletes, officials, supporters and visitors to come earlier, stay longer and explore more destinations.

In a statement, the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, said hosting the championships would convert international attention into visits, experiences and lasting value for the tourism sector, while showcasing Kenya’s sporting excellence, natural heritage, culture and hospitality to a worldwide audience.

“It is such good news that the world is coming to the home of champions. Nairobi 2029 is a historic moment for Kenya and a very big leap for Africa. It is also a win for athletics. For the tourism sector, this is a global spotlight that will convert into visits, experiences and lasting value,” Miano said.

Nairobi's selection as host city of the 2029 World Athletics Championships was confirmed by the World Athletics Council at its 242nd meeting in Budapest, Hungary, following a competitive bid process that included London, Rome, and Munich.

The announcement makes Nairobi the first African city in the competition's 47-year history to be awarded the right to stage the event.

Recent post-COVID data from World Athletics host cities illustrates the potential tourism value of Nairobi 2029. In Budapest, which hosted the 2023 championships, more than 170,000 guests spent nearly 460,000 guest nights in the city during the nine-day event period.

Compared with the same period in 2022, foreign visitor arrivals were nearly 38% higher, while hotel traffic rose by 32%, according to accommodation data reported by the Hungarian Tourism Agency. Hungary’s Central Statistical Office also said the championships gave a significant boost to tourism in Budapest.

In Eugene, Oregon, host of the 2022 championships, the event generated more than 110,000 event-related room nights and an estimated economic impact of more than US$50 million in the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area.

Travel Oregon reported 29.7 million overnight person-trips across Oregon in 2022, broadly in line with the 29.4 million estimated in 2019. Official sources link the room nights and economic impact directly to the championships, but do not attribute the state’s overall visitor recovery to the event.

Tokyo, host of the 2025 championships, recorded 3.2668 million international visitor arrivals to Japan in September 2025, approximately 43.7% above September 2019. Japan recorded 42.6836 million visitor arrivals for 2025, approximately 33.9% above the 2019 total. However, official sources do not isolate the share attributable to the championships, so the figures reflect broader post-COVID tourism trends and do not constitute a direct measure of the championships' impact.

Drawing on this experience, Kenya is positioning Nairobi 2029 to deliver similar gains, with visitor programmes designed to extend arrivals ahead of the championships and encourage travel to destinations beyond the host city.

Miano invited athletes, officials, supporters and visitors from around the world to discover Kenya’s diverse tourism offering, including Nairobi National Park, the country’s pristine beaches, the Maasai Mara, one of the world’s great natural wonders and its distinctive cuisine.

“We welcome the world to come and experience Nairobi, the only capital city in the world with wildlife at its doorstep. We ask them to come and savour our pristine beaches at the coast, our Maasai Mara, one of the wonders of the world, and our cuisine,” Miano said.

She also highlighted Kenya’s rich cultural heritage, including the country’s celebrated nyama choma, as well as its adventure experiences, the warmth of its people, the innovation and vibrancy of its youth, and the many attractions that make the country a leading destination.

Visitors attending the championships were encouraged to make the most of their time in the country by arriving early, extending their stays and exploring destinations beyond Nairobi.

“For those participating, we ask them to come earlier, stay longer, travel wider and experience Magical Kenya,” the CS added.

Concluding the statement, Miano reaffirmed Kenya’s enduring place in the sport and extended a warm invitation to the world: “Kenya is the origin of champions. It hosts champions, and in 2029 champions are coming to the home of champions. Welcome to Magical Kenya, the origin of wonder.”

The 2029 World Athletics Championships are expected to provide a platform for Kenya to showcase its sporting excellence, natural heritage, culture and hospitality to a global audience.