Bottom line for KHTF and HotelSummitEastAfrica: A resounding success

HOTEL SUMMIT EAST AFRICA BEATS EXPECTATIONS

(Posted 01st August 2013)

The recently concluded Hotel Summit East Africa, run in conjunction with the Kenya Hospitality Trade Fair, was in its inaugural edition termed a resounding success with over 150 participants from Kenya and the region, including nearly 20 Ugandan participants led by the chairman of the Uganda Hotel Owners Association B.M. Kibirige and the chairman of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators Boniface Byamukama.

Opened by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism and the national chairman of the Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry the event, which was running for three consecutive days, was supported and sponsored by Kenya Airways, the Kenya Data Network, Nestle Kenya – providing all the tea and coffee delegates and trade show visitors could drink – Nomadic Tents and Smoothtel Data Solutions. Visitors to the trade fair were in excess to 3.500, many of them buyers from not just Kenya but neighbouring countries too, making the hospitality trade fair also look back at its most successful year yet. Key note speakers, among them Kenya Airways’ Director of Marketing Chris Diaz, Mary Kimonye who is the CEO of Brand Kenya, Mikul Shah who is the CEO of EatOut Kenya and Catherine Gachie, Director of Barefoot Consulting left a mark on the proceedings which spilled over into the coffee breaks and lunch session, as well as to the evening cocktails for follow up and networking among delegates and speakers / moderators.

Attendees came not just from hotels, lodges and coast based resorts, but notably also from a number of hospitality training institutions, hospitals, institutions of higher learning and schools, as well as a large contingent from the local and regional print and electronic media covering the event.

Next on the calendar will be the second edition of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum, due to take place in September at the InterContinental Hotel, to which the organizers decided to return since the inaugural edition last year was such an overwhelming success. Clearly, Kenya as the regional market leader is not only in demand but seen as a key hospitality investment destination now with all the big international chains which are not yet represented with a property in Nairobi, are pushing into the market. Watch this space for regular and breaking news from Eastern Africa’s vibrant hospitality market.