Tourism lessons from Nyeri on how to host international events
A thanksgiving Mass at St Marys Boys grounds a day after the beatification of Sister Irene Stefani. Tourism marketers had a lot to learn. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI
Beatification of Sister Irene Stefani brought masses of religious tourists to Nyeri. This would also mean a lot of blessings to the country that actually needs them.
The events were so elaborate that businesses in the county were booming in the effort to address the needs of hundreds of thousands of visitors. Market Talk picks several lessons from the beatification events and the good Sister.
This was a rare chance for investors to reap big for the ready. My favourites include the hawkers with the portraits of Sister Irene Stefani each selling at as low as Sh100 (a dollar).
If 20,000 pieces were sold this would mean making Sh20 million with food and drinks hawking getting much more.
The other one is conferencing and accommodation. Traditional hotels made their money but the sharing economy in Nyeri got its opportunistic share too, with many homes offering to host guests.
The county government had registered those who were offering their houses for accommodation long before the event. There were also temporary tents at different places.
The lesson here is for us especially in counties to develop contingency plans for hosting big ticket events.
We can also learn from hawkers who regularly appear from nowhere with umbrellas when it rains.
The institutions of higher learning also need to be prepared to host such events with Dedan Kimathi College offering its grounds for the ceremony.
For the devolution conference in Kisumu, Tom Mboya Labour College was the venue. This means that institutions should design their facilities with the deliberate intention to host non-core events.
The process of beatification also provides some insights into managing risk and ensuring consistency. There was a team tasked with validating that the remains of the Sister had not been interfered with.
We can learn a lot from the church processes about how to execute complex projects and ensure compliance to standards and requirements.
The reports were that there were 1,000 security officers deployed to provide security to the guests. This is a good reminder for event organisers to always consider the security of guests and properties.
From helping the sick in Nyeri in Kenya, to taking care of the injured soldiers in Tanzania and the sick in Mozambique, the Sister was selfless.
Religious destination
The fact that she used to work for long hours to address the needs of the many patients earned her the name Nyaatha (meaning the merciful one).
This is a lesson for anyone who wants to achieve extraordinary success; you have to go that extra mile. Nyeri also will now have a claim as a serious religious destination having hosted Catholics from all over the world.
The competence achieved and lessons learnt on hosting global events will make the county ready as a serious conferencing destination.
In the process, as people search for accommodation they sampled other tourist offerings that the county and the neighbouring counties can offer.
The national tourist numbers will get a boost from this event. Be blessed.
