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.
Park fee hikes – not all bad
WHEN entrance fees to
Kenya’s national parks were
increased in January after the
imposition of VAT, there was
an outcry from many players
in the industry who believed
it would make the destination
less competitive. Others,
however, believe it will not
affect the number of visitors
to the parks and that it was a
necessary move.
In accordance with the
country’s VAT Act 2013, a
number of previously exempt
tourism services, including
game drives and conservancy
and park fees, are now
subject to a 16% VAT charge.
Rosemary Mugambi says
the higher fees could make
Kenya a more expensive
destination for travellers from
South Africa. John Gakinya,
md Trails of Africa Tours
and Safaris, expects the
increased fees to definitely
affect tourism because they
raise the average spend per
day for tourists visiting the
parks. “Bearing in mind that
tourism is a global industry
with destinations competing
between themselves, if the
countries around us do not
charge VAT on park fees, then
we will look more expensive
in the market.” However, he
adds that the long-term effect
of the charges will depend
on what industry receives in
return for the increment.
“If the funds are used to
improve the product then,
in the long run, the industry
players benefit,” he says.
John Ridler says the game
destinations are already
expensive, so the tax is not
really a factor.
Carolyn Riddick says
the fees are important for
conservation and justified by
the way that wildlife is taken
care of by the Kenya Wildlife
Services. “Entry fees are
charged at all our national
parks and reserves, where
revenues are kept to support
visitor services and facilities.
Every time you visit a park or
site you are investing in its
future.”
In September last year,
Kenya Association of Tour
Operators ce, Fred Kaigua,
said Kenya was now one
of the few countries in
Africa taxing conservation.
“Conservation is very
expensive and, in most cases,
does not even manage to pay
for itself. To further tax it is
adding insult to injury and will
most certainly have a very
adverse impact.”
See article in TNW February
26, 2014
Combine bush and beach
THOMPSONS Holidays is
offering a five-night bush
and beach combo to
Kenya from R17 194. The
package includes flights from
Johannesburg (with taxes),
three nights at the Sarova
Whitesands Beach Resort &
Spa including breakfast and
dinner, transfers, one night
at the Ashnil Aruba Lodge in
Tsavo East and one night at
the Kilaguni Lodge in Tsavo
West, including all meals. The
special is valid from April 1 to
June 30.
Kenya Airways to take delivery of Dreamliners
KENYA Airways has ordered
six Boeing 787 Dreamliners
and expects delivery this
year, with the first arriving
on April 14. It will also take
delivery of a second B777-
300ER in May.
The fleet expansion is
part of the airline’s Project
Mawingu route expansion
plan and growth strategy.
“Long-haul routes to Paris,
Amsterdam and Beijing are
among the destinations
earmarked for direct flights,
as we explore new markets
that will help us achieve
our objective, to contribute
towards the sustainable
development of Africa,”
says ceo and md,
Dr Titus Naikuni.
