Players in the hospitality sector are upbeat over the ongoing construction of the 27.1-kilometer-long Nairobi Express Way as a win for the country.
The Ksh72 billion project which is set to be a game changer for commuters passing through the city is expected to reduce the time spent in traffic and enable more business activities to thrive.
Hospitality industry stakeholders are hopeful that after completion, the project will boost conferencing businesses as they look forward to having Nairobi back to the map as the regional conferencing hub.
The project has been touted as a key infrastructure in reviving the sector which has been losing to neighboring Rwanda due to the traffic menace that has previously seen guests and visitors spend hours on the road.
Speaking during Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony, PrideInn Azure General Manager Mr. Adatya Mata said the “Nairobi Express Way” will be a big boost to the hospitality industry which had been brought to its knees by the pandemic through travel restrictions.
“The upcoming infrastructure will make Nairobi an exciting place for local and international conferences and tourists. This will complete the business and leisure cycle since they will have the chance to enjoy Nairobi’s cultural, leisure and wildlife products,” Mr. Adatya commented.
Adatya also notes that the completion of the project will see the city grow due to ease of movement which in turn leads to ease of doing business.
“People will be willing to start and invest here, Nairobi is not just in termen of mobility a better place to be. In terms of education and in terms of infrastructure it is one of the top places to be in,” he insisted.
Road infrastructure and tourism represent positive growth implications for the economy as forex earner for the country hence the need to ease movement.
“The continuous development of tourism in Kenya very much relies on the development of appropriate infrastructure, which services the needs of tourists and encourages investment in the sector. Upon completion of Nairobi Express Way, we foresee hospitality sector such as accommodation, restaurants, built-up attractions, tours and transport boom.”
Further, road and transport infrastructure attracts tourists and promotes tourism destinations, which increases the flow of tourism development. Decongesting roads will significantly increase the volume of tourists in Nairobi as well as the cost of movement.
Upon completion, the road will see commuting time significantly reduced with those coming from the airport taking as little as 10-15 minutes while those going to Naivasha taking as little as 45 minutes according to President Uhuru Kenyattas SOTN speech.
The construction is currently at over 60 per cent complete with officials citing that the highway will be ready before mid 2022 despite completion date adjustment.
