Students from the Technical University of Kenya’s Department of Hospitality and Human Ecology will in early 2026 represent Kenya in a global tourism competition in Dubai dubbed the ‘Future Leaders Challenge (FLC)’. TU-K won a slot in the global competition during the East African ‘Future Leaders Challenge’ that was held at Strathmore University from 28th -29th April 2025. The competition brought together 17 teams from various universities in East Africa to showcase creativity, innovation and ingenuity in hospitality and tourisms spheres.
TU-K team showcased an ingenious online-based solution that seeks to bridge a gap in the lucrative tourism sector targeting tourists guiding services in Kenya.
The team consists of Moses Ekitala, Josiah Nduati, Moses Gakere pursuing Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Travel Management and Sonia Njogu pursuing Bachelor of Science in Hotel and Hospitality Management.
The downloadable application on smartphones or a computer called BTHERE provides real-time booking services in Kenya providing a variety of languages users can select from.
“Unlike the traditional tourism market where tour services are pre-booked usually via tour agencies and in several instances is not flexible, our solution is pitched at providing an instant service linking freelance tour guides with tourists globally, and providing a variety of languages users can choose from,” Ekitala explained.
This therefore, requires professional tour guides to register on the platform stating their specialisations in the industry together with the languages one is conversant with.
The teams from TU-K, United States International University (USIU) and Strathmore University will represent the country in the global fete in Dubai. USIU topped in the East Africa’s FLC, Strathmore was first runners-up and TU-K was the second runners-up.
FLC is a global platform founded by Hubert Ummels and the late Jochem-Jan Sleiffer that encourages university hospitality and tourism students to innovate, network and build a community of industry future leaders who will address issues affecting the tourism industry.
The TU-K team together with the Department Chair Dr. Selina Onyango, presented the trophy to the VC, Prof. Benedict Mutua. The participating students were also presented with certificates.
Susan Otido was the guiding teacher, Dr. Jane Kathurima represented the Department chairperson during the competition while Dr. Lynet Obare and Maureen Muhati supported in the technical and logistical facilitation of the team participation.
The VC expressed his excitement indicating that the University will incubate the innovation in the TU-K Innovation Hub, and further assured all necessary support as the team prepares for the global competition.
Prof. Mutua also noted that, through the university Legal office, the innovation should be patented before the team carry on with the ambitious project in the global stage indicating that the proto-type is commercially viable if pitched at the right forums.
“TU-K is known for engineering excellence, but we also excel in other disciplines like this particular team from the Department of Hospitality who participated in the competition and now proceeding to global stage,” he said.
The VC challenged young scholars to tap into to the hospitality market as Kenya is among high tourism destination globally and earning the country big in the tourism trade.
Dr. Onyango said her Department together with the Kenya Association of Tour Guides is seeking ways to train tour guides on best practices and professionalism in their field.
She noted that, tour-guiding is not just driving tourists around tour destinations, but, goes beyond, requiring them to have historical information, profiles of interesting sites, animals as well as scientific knowledge.
“In European countries, including Israel, tour guiding is done by well-informed personnel who have undertaken interest in their field. I was in Vienna sometime and a tour guide was a holder of a Ph.D who provided us with deep historical information and well-researched knowledge,” Prof. Mutua added.
