Riviera Travel team visits Kenya to support waste management project

KENYA – A team from Riviera Travel recently traveled to Kenya to collaborate on a waste management project in partnership with Practical Action.

The three-person team, including Rob Snelson (Chief Technology Officer), Will Sarson (Product Director), and Belle Whitehurst (Channels Marketing Executive), began their visit at Practical Action’s Nairobi office before heading to Kisumu.

The project focuses on the Auji River, which has been improperly used for waste disposal. The Riviera team explored various sections of the river, tracing its path to Lake Victoria to understand how water quality impacts surrounding communities.

The initiative aims to improve waste management systems for over 2,000 households and support 100 local waste workers in creating long-term solutions.

As part of their commitment, Riviera Travel launched the “Riviera Races to Kisumu” initiative earlier this year.

This virtual sponsored challenge involved team members running, walking, swimming, and cycling a combined 6,340 miles—the distance from their head office in Burton on Trent to Kisumu.

The two-year collaboration between Riviera Travel and Practical Action aims to remove 67 tonnes of plastic waste from the environment and recycle approximately 33 tonnes.

The initiative will also target waste hotspots, particularly in Kisumu’s low-income areas along the Auji River, where improper waste disposal has been a persistent issue.

Kisumu alone generates about 252 tonnes of waste daily, contributing to Kenya’s overall waste generation of 400 tonnes per day.

Rob Snelson highlighted the importance of sustainable tourism and waste management, “We must do all we can to help protect the destinations we visit and support sustainable solutions. Our visit to Kenya showed the power of collective action in creating positive change.”

Naman Nyabinda, Practical Action’s waste management officer, expressed his appreciation for the partnership, “Hosting the Riviera Travel team was a great opportunity to demonstrate the real impact of our collaboration. Together, we are transforming waste management challenges into opportunities for Kisumu’s communities.”

This initiative is part of Riviera’s “Doing the Right Thing” plan, which focuses on sustainability, reducing their carbon footprint, ethical operations, and charitable contributions.

The company has pledged to reduce guests’ carbon footprint by 20% by 2028 and will donate £1 per guest booked starting in 2024, encouraging both staff and corporate donations to further support their environmental efforts.

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