Feature:Travel Empowers Communities:Steri Tours’ Bridging the Gap

• Travel Empowers Communities: Steri Tours and Travel  Bridges the Gap.

Phoebe Maina, an educator with a passion for service, envisioned travel beyond fleeting snapshots, creating Steri Tours and Travel in 2020 to bridge the gap between tourists and the communities that surround them, offering experiences that empower rather than merely observe.

Maina says that it started with a realization: the gap between the thriving tourist sector and communities that are just around such tourist locations.

“There were grand lodges and plenty of visitors, but the neighbors were often forgotten, and their potential was wasted.

That is how Steri Tours and Travel began. I traveled widely across Kenya with different non-governmental organizations,” she says.

Maina  saw firsthand the resourcefulness and resilience of communities   while running her NGO organization known as Dignified Children International but also the underlying issues they faced.

She explains that she saw a community which is forced to depend on charity, their dignity lost along the way.

“I knew there had to be a more viable alternative, something that would be sustainable and enable them to own their future.The idea of a tour company began to germinate in my mind.

It would be more than a matter of bringing tourists in to view the attractions; it would also be a matter of connecting them with the hearts and spirit of the communities,” she says.

She further adds that, “It would be a matter of making opportunities for the residents to share their culture, their artisanship, and their products.

It would be a matter of generating understanding and respect by bridging the gap between the residents and the guests.”

Maina  says that she  gets at least 200  potential customers every month from local to international customers which is a major boost for the tour industry.

“Every month I manage to book at least 200 potential  clients from my LinkedIn account. I believe when I engage with customers directly, they trust the services that I offer,” she said.

To mention a few  places in Kenya that Steri tours visit includes Maasai Mara,Diani Beach,Laikipia and Tsavo.

Maina notes  that she had imagined a business which would not just provide distinctive and enriching holidays but also be actively involved in the economic upbuilding of those communities with which she was engaging.

“This would mean creating jobs, buying from local businesses and services, and retaining tourism in the areas within which it had been earned,” she notes.

She explains that ,it’s never simple to begin a business. It requires vision, determination, and being willing to take chances.

Maina said that she uses the  skills  and experience she gained when she was a tour guide in a certain tour company to improve her tour business.

“ I got to visit so many national parks and also conservancies in the country. I got to go to several hotels and I learned how this business goes.Because most of the time I was with these tour drivers and tour guides. And so I would hold conversations with them and I learned how it goes.I also learned how to create an itinerary.

I also learned how to handle guests. And so from there, it was easy for me even now create experiences out of my experiences because I had been in these places,” she explains.

She had some capital saved away from previous work, but not nearly enough to begin an entire-scale tour operation.   She needed to be resourceful, build connections, and meet with influential people.

 “I came across a program that was being offered by TUI Foundation… and I applied for it and I won the grant.

This grant, amounting to 1,000 euros,  played a crucial role in the company’s development,” she notes adding that,

“Getting individuals to think that this model would succeed was one of the biggest challenges. Most were used to the traditional model of tourism, where big business took most of the profit, with not much left for the local community.

I had to demonstrate that Steri Tours and Travel was different, that we were committed to a triple bottom line – people, planet, and profit,” she says.

Steri tours and travel  focus on creating authentic experiences that would appeal to it travelers.

She reiterates that they create itineraries with the help of local guides, artisans, and community leaders to highlight the different culture and natural attractions of each place.

“We focused on sustainable tourism practices in an effort to minimize our impact on the environment and maximize benefits to the communities we operated in,”  she adds.

Maina notes that they had to  gain the trust of their  clients, assuring them that they were not just tourists but also partners in their mission to effect positive change.

“Trust-building was critical. We had to demonstrate our genuine interest in the welfare of the societies we served so that they would trust us,” she said adding that,

“Steri Tours and Travel began to gain traction slowly but surely.We started small, with just a few well-researched tours, but news traveled quickly.

People were drawn to our innovative approach, our commitment to sustainability, and our focus on authentic cultural immersion,” she emphasis.

However, Maina says that they  experienced setbacks here and there, as any company does where she notes that there had been moments of uncertainty, cash flow problems, and logistics problems.

“But I never wavered in my vision.I knew that we were on the right track and that every tour was creating a difference. Stereo Tours and Travel is thriving today.

We transitioned from modest start-up beginnings to a reputable tour operator that stands out for environmentally friendly and ethically responsible travel,” she notes.

Maina explains that they have created jobs, enriched the communities they work with, and help preserve cultural heritage.

“I built a network of drivers and owners of tour cars. So anytime I would get a booking, I would contact those ones that I know. And I’m like, I have this team that wants to go to Nakuru on this date. How much would we charge? And then from there, I’m able to do my calculation and create a package,” she said.

“Our work, however, is far from done.We are continually searching for new innovations, new means to reach even more people, and to extend our reach further.  

We continuously strive for betterment, continually seeking ways to provide our travelers with great experiences and leave the world in a better way.”