Devolution Conference exposes dubious hotels

As Kisumu business people count profits after the second Devolution Conference which ended on Thursday, hotel owners are complaining that there could be more than 20 unlicensed facilities.

Industry players say upsurge in such facilities could put security, health and safety of both employees and guests at risk.

With huge demand to accommodate more than 5,000 guests who attended the conference, property owners converted their facilities into guesthouses to cash in on the event.

On record, the town has 3,000 standard quality beds in hotels and guest houses.

Hotels owners in Kisumu are now calling on the national and county governments to crack down on illegal hotels operating in the region.

''There are more than 20 facilities we never knew existed. They could be operating illegally. The government needs to come in to bring sanity into the sector,'' said Chairman of Western Kenya Hospitality Leaders' Association Robinson Anyal.

While there is a growing trend of people converting their homes into guesthouses, owing to huge demand from out pouring numbers of visitors making their way into the city, industry players say this has given room to dubious players to enter the market.

Situated mostly in Riat and Milimani areas, the facilities are known to go through established hotels to transfer them over flows.

''Inspection of suspected facilities needs to be done by relevant bodies and approvals and licensing done properly,'' noted Anyal.

Tom Odhiambo, the Regional Manager Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA), said it may be difficult to tame such businesses since many of them are looking like people's private homes.

But Governor Jack Ranguma said the conference has demonstrated the city's potential.

''We didn't know as a county we had such a capacity to handle huge numbers of guests. After the conference, we are optimistic that more of such occasions will be held in the region,'' he said.