With a 10.2% rise in Indian arrivals in 2025 and a peak of 20.3% in June, Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort is witnessing steady seasonal growth from the subcontinent – particularly from multi-generational families seeking immersive wildlife experiences. In this Q&A, General Manager Jerry Were shares how the resort is leveraging its free-roaming animals, enhanced Indian cuisine, and sustainability credentials to stand out in a competitive market, while noting that most Indian bookings still come through DMCs rather than direct online channels.
By Hazel Jain
How is the India market performing for your lodge? The Indian market showed noticeable seasonal growth in 2025. While early months recorded moderate numbers, there was a significant increase from March onwards, peaking in June. This reflects steady growth in select peak travel seasons, particularly during mid-year and festive travel periods. With a peak of 20.3% in June 2025, and an overall 10.2% for the year, this indicates a preference for travel among the Indian market during the lean period of the year.
What distribution channel is working best for you?
Direct online bookings from the Indian market are negligible, with a majority of Indian guests booking through DMCs.
What segments book with you the most?
The primary segment from India is families travelling within the leisure market. Family travel remains the strongest contributor within this market. Corporate, MICE, and honeymooners are less prominent within the Indian market.
How do you plan to stand out from your competitors?
Our resort is focused on continuing to elevate the guest experience with newly enhanced offerings designed to differentiate us and position the property at the next level within the safari and leisure segment.
With competition focused primarily on the MICE business, this gives our resort a competitive advantage and an upper hand in catering to the untapped Indian traveller targeting this destination.
Our commitment to responsible tourism and meaningful community engagement further strengthens our brand positioning.
Above all, we remain dedicated to raising our service standards and delivering best-in-class customer experiences that set us apart.
What is your lodge’s USP that you want the travel agents in India to know?
A key highlight for the property is the unique wildlife experience that Indian travel agents can leverage – animals roam freely within the property, allowing guests to enjoy close-up wildlife sightings from the comfort of their rooms. This immersive safari experience sets the resort apart.
The personalised service and warmth offered by the resort staff, as captured on TrustYou, are indicative of a memorable experience, which differentiates the resort from other properties in its vicinity.
The resort has curated distinctive experiences that guests can engage in while at the property, elevating the guest journey beyond the normal safari experience.
The resort has a strong focus on sustainability, enabling guests to enjoy the property in its natural setting while offering an unrivalled guest experience.
The resort has invested in curating excellent Indian cuisine that caters to diverse dietary requirements, with personalised offerings for guests from the Indian market.
The resort’s location and proximity to Nairobi make it a perfect stopover for outbound travellers targeting Masai Mara, Nakuru, and the western circuit.
Our six modern conference rooms, with the largest accommodating up to 70 people, offer a premium choice for corporate retreats away from city life, overlooking the shores of Lake Naivasha.
What is one key trend you see in the India market?
We have seen a rise in multi-generational travel, with Indian families choosing to travel together (from grandparents to grandchildren), and a clear preference for family-oriented safari experiences.
Food quality is key for Indian travellers. Our chefs curate exceptional dining experiences, offering diverse culinary selections that cater to varied palates while incorporating fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
There has been growth in photography safaris, with travellers seeking destinations that offer rare wildlife encounters. Our strategic location provides photographers with prime opportunities to capture extraordinary shots. There is also a preference for all-inclusive packages from this market. We are also seeing noticeable growth in business travellers on holiday, typically in groups of three or four.
Rahul Bhadana is a digital editor at TravTalk with experience spanning multiple content niches, with a strong focus on travel trade journalism and digital publishing. A graduate of Delhi University, his work covers editorial writing, content strategy and platform-led storytelling, supporting TravTalk’s digital growth and industry engagement. A technology enthusiast, he enjoys films, poetry and exploring new ideas across media and culture.