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KWS offers tourism camps for lease to boost revenue

A view of the Nairobi National Park. (Photo: KWS)

By Bashir Mohammed | 04 Apr 2024

The invitation for bids, issued on Tuesday, calls upon investors to develop and manage tourism sites located within selected national parks under KWS management.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has announced the availability of 13 tourism camps for leasing to private investors, part of a broader strategy to capitalise on its key assets for increased financial gains.

The invitation for bids, issued on Tuesday, calls upon investors to develop and manage tourism sites located within selected national parks under KWS management.

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Several sites within Nairobi National Park are available for lease, including Rangers, the KWS Club House, and the Sebastian restaurant.

The offering also includes sites in national parks like Amboseli, Meru, Aberdare, and Tsavo East and West.

KWS emphasised that the concept entails a contractual arrangement where the user of the asset pays the owner for an agreed-upon period.

This move aligns with KWS's strategic plan for 2019–2024, which aims to boost total revenue to Sh12 billion annually by 2024, through strategies including asset leases, aircraft hires, and periodic reviews of conservation fees.

The announcement came shortly after the Privatisation Commission initiated the process of selling the government's stake, worth Sh671 million, in five top Kenya Development Corporation (KDC)-controlled hotels.

These are the Kenya Safari Lodges, which include popular destinations such as the Mombasa Beach Hotel, the Ngulia Safari Lodge, and the Voi Safari Lodge.

Kenya Safari Lodges & Hotels Limited will grant its shareholders preemptive rights to acquire the remaining shares from KDC. Should they not exercise these rights, KDC will sell the shares through an open tender process.

The sale of shares in Mt. Elgon Lodge Limited, Golf Hotel Limited, and Sunset Hotel will be conducted via open tender while the disposal of Kabarnet Hotels Limited will involve the sale of assets.