JOOUST trains tour guides within Siaya County
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology through the school of Business and Economics, department of International Tourism has join hands with the County government of Siaya through the County’s ministry of Tourism to train tour guides within Siaya County with an intention of boosting the county’s tourism industry.
The first phase of the training that lasted one week from Monday August 28th to September 1st 2023 saw a total 35 tour guides sampled from all the six Sub counties of Siaya each graduating with a certificate for the short term course.
While giving an overview of tourism in Siaya County, Ms. Elizabeth Oduor, Siaya County Chief officer in the ministry of Tourism, Wildlife conservation and Information, said that Siaya has numerous attraction sites that are underutilized since they are not exposed to both local and international tourists, hence need for informed tour guides that will not only wait for visitors to guide but also engage in marketing the sites to make them known. Mentioning just but a few, Ms. Oduor pointed areas worth visiting in Siaya that includes Lake Victoria which is the second largest fresh water lake in the world found in Siaya alongside other three small ox bore lakes worth visiting, Got Ramogi where the largest Luo community first landed in Kenya, the largest Yala Swamp that harbors a number of indigenous bird species, water falls, cultural activities among others that will be of interest to tourists.
The vice Chancellor has assured the county government of Siaya the university’s commitment to empower the tour guides with the knowledge they much need to boost tourism industry. Through the department of International Tourism in the School of Business and Economics, JOOUST admits students to be trained in tourism management to international standards so as to produce competent personnel for the tourism sector.
The tour guides have been taken through Nature conservation techniques, Cultural products, Aqua culture, Aqua tourism and tree Identification.
