The East African Community views tourism development as a key pillar for national development, and most importantly, as a mechanism to alleviate poverty, generate foreign revenue for governments, and contribute to wildlife conservation.

This is not devoid of exceptions, as apart from Kenya and Tanzania, which have a well-developed coastal tourism segment, the rest of the Community is landlocked, with nature and wildlife remaining as the only core tourism assets.

The economic roadmaps and visions of disadvantaged countries foresee tourism as a key contributor to transforming their economies in the years to come.

The upcoming 8th Edition of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), a biennial association football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), however, grants the region an opportunity to actualise this dream at an earlier stage in the field of sports tourism. 

The premier tournament for Africa’s home-based national footballers is being hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda between August 2nd and 30th, 2025, marking the first edition to be hosted by three countries.

It is also viewed as a launching pad for a significant step in preparation for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), providing another opportunity for sports tourism in the region.

This edition of the tournament will be the first ever to be hosted again by the same three different countries in June 2027 and will also be the first in five decades to be organised in the CECAFA region, since it was hosted by Ethiopia in 1976.

As CHAN 2024 is set to kick off in the region, it has attracted a significant number of fans who will accompany their home teams from various African countries, which is a boost to tourism and the economy.

Sports tourism generates a surge in revenue and supports local economies by boosting spending on accommodations, transportation, and regional tourism attractions in the country.

The tournament is expected to boost the economies of the three countries with a surge in demand for travel to participate or spectate, prompting the host nations to diversify their tourism sectors by promoting their rich cultural events alongside their renowned wildlife safaris.

“For Kenya, CHAN is an opportunity to showcase your homegrown local talent playing in the national team Harambee Stars against other local national teams in the African nations,” said the Confederation of African Football (CAF) General Secretary, Mr. Veron Mosengo-Omba, earlier this week at Kasarani Stadium.

Mosengo-Omba said he was impressed by Kenya’s preparedness for the upcoming CHAN.

“With less than a week to go until the 2024 CHAN kicks off, we are satisfied with Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania for their joint efforts in preparing for the tournament. The collaboration they have shown is a model worth emulating across the continent,” Mr. Mosengo-Omba said.

Kenya, he noted, had also officially handed over both stadiums that will be used for the tournament—Kasarani and Nyayo—to the CHAN Local Organising Committee (LOC), a signal to show that Kenya is ready for CHAN 2024.

“I am really satisfied with the CHAN preparedness I have seen in Kenya. Even the top-quality grass is here, the changing rooms are okay, and everything is in place. This signifies that Kenya is ready to host CHAN 2024,” Mr. Mosengo-Omba added.

“I think we in Africa need to learn from this model. Three countries have pooled their efforts and resources to successfully deliver one competition. This is unity and cooperation at its best and is something we should embrace as CAF,” he insisted.

 

The Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Salim Mvurya, reaffirmed Kenya’s preparedness in hosting CHAN 2024 and urged Kenyans to fully support the tournament.

“I want to assure Kenyans that we are ready to host CHAN 2024 from 2nd August. Everything that had been required of us has been done and CAF has confirmed that we have made excellent progress,” CS Mvurya said.

He added that they have concluded the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 security training, a critical pillar in Kenya’s final stretch of preparations ahead of the Championship in 7 days.

“This security engagement in coordination with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, CAF, and the Local Organizing Committee reflects the steady, continuous, and well-coordinated progress we have made as a country in our broader efforts to deliver a safe, seamless, and successful continental tournament,” CS Mvurya said.

He noted that the government guarantees comprehensive safety for athletes, officials, fans, media, and every stakeholder involved in this month-long football tournament.

He added that officers from the National Police Service, KDF, NYS, Ministry of Health, Nairobi Fire, the Red Cross, and St. John’s Ambulance had been trained during the TotalEnergies CHAN 2024 security training as responders to emergencies at the stadiums and will be in attendance in the likely event of fire, terror, or any other form of stampede at the stadia.

CS Mvurya also announced that all tickets for CHAN 2024 will be sold exclusively online, and no physical tickets will be accepted at the gates.

“This move not only reduces the risk of counterfeit tickets and overcrowding but also allows for efficient data management and crowd forecasting across all venues,” he said.

CHAN 2024 starts with Group A matches that will feature Kenya, Angola, Zambia, DR Congo, and Morocco, all to be played at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.

CS Mvurya also noted that hosting the tournament in Kenya has a greater significance in profiling the country positively and boosting the economy.

 

“We welcome the world and Africa. That will boost our sports activities, especially football and tourism,” he said.

He stated that the government had streamlined the visa process for those coming in from within African countries ahead of CHAN, aiming to boost tourism in the country.

The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President, Hussein Mohammed, appealed to Kenyans to rally and support the national team, Harambee Stars, during the matches.

“We are ready and I call upon Kenyans to come out and support Team Kenya. It is our national team—let us all rally behind it,” he urged.

Deputy Government Spokesperson Mwanaisha Chidzuga urged Kenyans to show patriotism during the tournament as it is a significant opportunity for the country.

“Hosting CHAN is a great opportunity for us. Kenyans, let us show patriotism during the tournament and support our home team,” she appealed. 

Chidzuga also added that the government had utilised a significant amount of resources in upgrading infrastructure, such as stadiums, to secure the opportunity to host the tournament, which would boost businesses in the country. By MUNIRA MANDANO, The Star