The first freight train of the Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) arrived at the Naivasha Inland Container Depot in Kenya, on Dec. 17, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Teng)
Kenyan hoteliers based in the northwestern Nakuru county are optimistic that tourists will increase following the full launch of the Chinese-built 120km Standard Gauge Railway that connects the capital city Nairobi to Naivasha.
NAIROBI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan hoteliers based in the northwestern county of Nakuru on Wednesday said they were upbeat on their business following the full launch of the Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) services.
James Mwangi, chair of the Naivasha Tourism Association told journalists in Nairobi that the hospitality sector is expected to reap huge benefits during the upcoming December holiday festival season.
"We are hopeful our tourists' arrivals in Naivasha (a major town of Nakuru county) will surpass last years' figures following the launch of the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR," Mwangi said during the launch of the Naivasha Love festival.
The festival will take place from Feb. 14-15, 2020 and is expected to attract over 5,000 participants to witness the rich culture of Naivasha that is an acclaimed resort town.
The Chinese built 120 km SGR from Nairobi to Naivasha, which is an extension of the Mombasa-Nairobi line, commenced passenger services on October 16 this year while the cargo service was launched on December 17. The Mombasa-Nairobi section of SGR became operational in 2017.
The launch ceremony for the Nairobi-Naivasha Standard Gauge Railway freight service was held in Nairobi, Kenya, Dec. 17, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Yan)
Erick Korir, deputy governor of Nakuru county, said the extension of the SGR will be a game-changer for Kenya's hinterland region.
"It is one of the biggest milestones in terms of development as it will make Naivasha become a development hub and terminal center for all containers moving between east and central Africa and the port of Mombasa," Korir said.
He noted that the tourism sector in Nakuru county is expected to receive a major boost as both domestic and foreign tourists will find it convenient to use the SGR passenger service for the estimated one hour ride between Nairobi and the resort city of Naivasha.
Peter Kimani Gitau, chairman of the Naivasha Love festival, said that the Nairobi-Naivasha SGR will have a huge positive impact on the event.
"We expect our visitors to use the SGR passenger service so that they bypass the road network that will struggle to handle the anticipated traffic," Gitau said. ■
