Tourism

‘Destination Makueni’ is an e-platform designed to make exploring the county simple, exciting, and stress-free.

Tourists and visitors are able to search for their favorite spots with ease—getting directions, distances, prices and extra details all in one place.

From hotels, tour operators, taxi services, cultural centers and scenic hills to game parks, the platform brings Makueni’s gems to your fingertips.

The platform has become one of the key highlights showcased at the ongoing MagicalKenya Tourism Expo 2025 in Nairobi, attracting wide attention.

While attending the expo, Trade and Tourism CECM Doc Sonia Nzilani urged visitors to explore the county’s unique beauty through the Destination Makueni platform.

With easy bookings and access to attractions, Destination Makueni is not only selling the county’s beauty but also boosting trade, creating jobs, and empowering local residents through tourism.

Makueni County is blessed with breathtaking hills that rise gracefully over the landscape, offering therapeutic nature walks, fresh air and unforgettable adventure.

From the iconic Nzaui Hill, the lush Chyullu ranges, the legendary Mbui Nzu Hill, to the tranquil Mbooni and Makuli hills, the county boasts secure and serene hiking destinations for both domestic and international explorers.

These natural treasures not only provide scenic beauty but also peace of mind, making them perfect escapes for adventurers and wellness seekers.

At the MagicalKenya Expo 2025, Makueni’s Tourism Directorate is marketing these attractions to the world, highlighting efforts to brand the county as a top travel destination.

Through tourism marketing, residents benefit economically when visitors explore, stay and transact business in the county, turning natural beauty into shared prosperity.

The Magical Kenya Expo is the country’s leading tourism trade fair, running from 1st to 3rd October at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi.

The event brings together tourism players to market Kenya as a top travel destination.

During this year’s Expo, Makueni County is showcasing its vibrant tourism sector with hoteliers, tour companies, service providers and creative wood sculptors participating.

The County Tourism Department has been keen on promoting local sites, supporting guides and uplifting hospitality businesses to attract more visitors.

This year’s expo, themed ‘Creating Business Opportunities Through Tourism’, provides a platform to unlock new markets and partnerships.

By participating, Makueni County showcases itself as an attractive destination for both local and international travelers, boosting its profile in the tourism sector.

The participation also aligns with Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jr’s vision of empowering residents through economic growth driven by tourism.

Tourism opens doors to culture, adventure, and business, creating jobs and building friendships across communities. World Tourism Day, sanctioned by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is celebrated each year to recognize tourism’s role in development and global unity.

In Makueni County, Deputy Governor Makueni-H.E Lucy Mulili led celebrations in style with a 10-kilometre nature walk that began at Kikima Town, snaked through Kivale Forest, camped at Mulima Dam, and climbed up to Mavindu Hill. The walk brought together hikers, hoteliers, tour guides, residents and partners in the tourism sector.

During the camping at Mulima Dam, Mulili urged residents to conserve the county’s natural gems, noting they hold potential to attract visitors and boost local trade. She further assured hundreds of participants that the county is prioritizing infrastructure and entrepreneurship capacity to grow tourism.

The event was graced by County Secretary Dr. Justin Kyambi, CECM Dr. Doc Sonia Nzilani Nzilani, Chief Officer Dr. Jossylyn Nzilani, Makueni Public Service Board CEO Redempta Kavindu, MCAs Alex Mulemba, Kyalo Mumo and Elizabeth Mutindi, hoteliers, revelers and community members.

The Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) on Wednesday held a key training session for members of the Makueni Hospitality Association (MHA) to sensitize them on hospitality standards for accommodation and catering establishments.

The training, which also doubled as MHA’s Annual General Meeting, brought together operators from hotels, resorts, restaurants, cafes, bakeries, caterers, curio and craft traders, travel agencies and transport service providers.

Graced by H.E DG-Makueni Lucy Mulili, participants were also equipped with skills on financial management, smart investment and leadership trends in the hospitality sector. The aim was to improve service delivery, customer satisfaction and professionalism within Makueni’s fast-growing tourism industry.

The event provided a platform for networking, sharing best practices, discovering new business opportunities and building partnerships across the sector. It also opened discussions on how operators can collaborate to elevate Makueni’s position as a tourism destination.

Speaking during the event, Mulili affirmed the county government’s commitment to creating a friendly and enabling business environment. She encouraged local hoteliers to uphold quality and innovation in their services to drive economic growth in the region.

The forum that was attended by CECM Trade, Marketing, Industry, Culture and Tourism Dr. Sonia Nzilani attracted key players including banking representatives and other stakeholders.

The Tourism Directorate is undertaking a four-day- sensitization forum for local hoteliers, business operators, vendors and transport service providers to enlighten them on how to onboard their products and services onto Destination Makueni.

Destination Makueni is an online platform developed as part of efforts to digitize tourism promotion and bridge the information gap for both visitors and local operators.

In recognizing the Makueni county’s vast tourism potential and the need for a unified online presence, the Directorate partnered with stakeholders to build a platform that supports local businesses, markets Makueni’s unique attractions and encourages sustainable economic growth through tourism.

The platform is designed to make it easy for nature enthusiasts and tourists to discover the county’s hidden gems, hospitality facilities, service providers and local vendors right from their phones or computers at a glance.

The sensitization forums, which kicked off in Mbooni on Monday and continued in Kilome on Tuesday, aim to cover all six sub-counties. Interested hoteliers and tourism service providers are getting the opportunity to onboard their products and services on the platform, complete with detailed pricing information.

This platform offers up-to-date information on hospitality facilities and tourism service providers, ensuring visitors plan their stay with ease.

By giving local hotels, lodges, tour guides and other tourism businesses a digital marketing space, Destination Makueni aims to boost their visibility, attract more guests and drive economic empowerment for communities that rely on tourism for their livelihoods.

www.destinationmakueni.com

In a push to spotlight local tourism and ecological conservation, Makueni Deputy Governor Lucy Mulili on Saturday presided over the launch of a new Ecosystem Tourism Center at Mbui Nzau Hill,an iconic natural landmark now poised to become a magnet for both adventurers and nature enthusiasts.

The scenic launch also transformed into a lively celebration as hundreds of residents and visitors took part in a spirited hike to the hill’s summit, soaking in breathtaking views and reaffirming the area’s potential as a tourist haven.

Mulili lauded the Mbui Nzau community for their dedication to conserving the environment, particularly the springs that flow from the hill and continue to be a vital water source for surrounding households.

Adding to the momentum, County Executive for Tourism Dr. Sonia Nzilani emphasized that the two-day event would culminate in a tree-planting initiative,further rooting the event in sustainable tourism and environmental restoration.