Many years ago when Agness Njau worked for a hotel chain, Heritage Hotels, as a receptionist, little did she know that one day she would be an entrepreneur.

She is the founder and director of Zuri Travels, a company that was registered in 2014 May to offer services such as airport transfers and hotel bookings, ticketing and visa assistant, corporate and leisure travel, and conferencing.

The move to start a travel company was not out of the blue. Ms Njau was a receptionist but would interact with people in reservations department. She would admire the way clients would visit their offices to book and had an opportunity to visit properties in Masai Mara, and Samburu.

“That’s where my passion for travel came about,” she says. “So I decided to register the company and continue doing business. Before 2018 I was just freelancing then I decided to be serious. I set up an office in 2018 January and I must say that the first year was very good. But in 2019, we were just hanging in there. It was not as busy as the other times.”

Not only individuals and families, who she says make a big percentage of her business, but also families, young people, corporates as well as non-governmental organizations. She is currently trying to woo government agencies.

Zuri’s offers are focusing on destinations such as Mombasa, Nanyuki, Laikipia, Meru, Watamu, Malindi, and Chalbi desert, which is located in Marsabit County. The company can also take travelers to Dubai to see modern architecture and vibrant nightlife.

Normally, it is very expensive to visit places like Masai Mara. With a budget of Sh18, 000, Ms Njau highly recommends a standard package of two nights, three days. The amount takes care of meals, game drive, transfers to and back.

“We have not exploited this country. There is a Chalbi desert that is selling a lot. Places like Rusinga Island, Amboseli and the Mara are amazing places. We have so much here and we have some very good heritage, and I don’t think we have exploited local destinations as tour operators. And it’s cheap now. You should go to the Mara. Mara is good. It is a good experience,” she says, urging entrepreneurship-oriented individuals to spread their risks.

To get the best, she says, it is important to incorporate other lines of business. It is better spread risks by not zeroing in on one particular line of business. It is also important to build contacts and relationships to keep business flowing. Word of mouth, social media pages, repeat clients and referrals too work wonders for a business like hers. For the customers, she says, the more the merrier. Actually, the more you are, the cheaper you pay.

Ms. Njau recently moved her offices from where she started in Ngara to Upper Hill on Ralph Bunche Road.

“It is a good industry, it is interesting, it is fun, and you discover places. You become a story teller about the places you’ve visited… and it is the content you have and how you pitch for your business that will determine your success,” she says.