Confidence is building
DESPITE the setbacks
that Kenya has suffered
recently, interest from SA
travellers seems to be picking
up, say industry stakeholders.
According to Rosemary
Mugambi, sales and marketing
director East Africa for Serena
Hotels, Lodges and Resorts,
bookings from SA travellers,
especially business travellers,
are up. “As at December
2013, Serena hotels in Kenya
had a 6,6% increase from the
SA market [compared with the
previous year],” she says.
Last year saw some
challenging times for the
destination that included a
fire at the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport as well as
the violent hostage situation at
the popular Westgate shopping
mall in Nairobi. But Rosemary
says it wasn’t long before
visitors returned.
“Business travel did recover
quite quickly but leisure travel
has taken a few months. I
would say confidence in the
destination is building up and
while at present business is
relatively slow, the indications
for the second half of the
year are positive.”
John Ridler, media and
PR manager for Thompsons
Holidays, says the Kenyan
authorities handled the fire
situation well and the airport
was quickly up and running
again using temporary
facilities.
Although authorities
expected the new Terminal
4 and the temporary arrivals
terminal to open earlier this
year, it was announced that
a delay in equipment delivery
would see the soft opening of
these facilities postponed to
around August. The temporary
facility will have capacity for
2,5 million passengers and is
expected to significantly ease
pressure on the airport.
According to Rosemary,
SA travellers favour popular
regions like the Masai Mara,
particularly for the wildlife
migration. She says Kenya
is able to compete against
neighbouring popular tourism
destinations such as Zanzibar,
as it takes the lead in tourism
infrastructure and human
resources.
John says, after a lull,
interest in the Mombasa
beach resorts has picked
up again. “Mombasa stands
up well against Zanzibar as
a desirable destination,” he
comments.
Spokesperson for Kenya
Tourism Board, Carolyn
Riddick, agrees that Mombasa
is popular. She says movie
star, Brad Pitt, enjoys visiting
Lamu, which is 340km
north-east of Mombasa and
a Unesco World Heritage
Site. She adds that Lamu,
Malindi and Diani Beach
are popular options and
that Kenya competes as a
holiday destination because it
combines beach and safari.
Rosemary says Kenya offers
product diversity that caters for
various levels of the market,
from upmarket clientele to the
budget conscious.
Mara Serena special
SERENA Hotels, Lodges
and Resorts is running a
special offer on its Mara
Serena flying package,
which includes two nights
full-board accommodation
at the recently refurbished
Mara Serena Safari Lodge.
The lodge now features
a new reception, bar
lounge, arrival lobby area,
gift shop, buffet counters
in the restaurant, dining
area, and health club and
spa with steam room,
sauna and gym.
The package also
includes flights from
Nairobi, game drives and
a hippo pool breakfast.
It is available until
June 30 from US$720
(R7 724) per person
sharing.
