HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY OOZES CONFIDENCE AS THEY MEET BUYERS AT MKTE2019
(Posted 03rd October 2019)
Hoteliers present at the ongoing Magical Kenya Travel Expo, from Malindi over Kilifi to Mombasa and Diani, have expressed their confidence to ATCNews that they will be enjoying a high occupancy shoulder season and expect full house during the upcoming peak season at the end of this year.
While many of them echoed the Cabinet Secretary Hon. Najib Balala’s words, who called the SGR passenger trains as ‘game changers for the coast‘ have indeed packages to coastal resorts and hotels out of Nairobi taken the market by storm. At a cost of 2.000 Kenya Shillings for a return ticket on the SGR passenger train in economy class – First class return tickets go for 6.000 Kenya Shillings – have Kenyans flocked to the Kenya coast by their hundred of thousands since the launch of the line and overall numbers are now nearing 2 million travelers. Considered very affordable, reliable and safe do the trains day in day out bring Kenyans to the coast, while an increasing number of international visitors too enjoys the ride and the scenery along the line when trains pass through Tsavo.
Coast hoteliers are also banking on the launch of flights by Uganda Airlines, which will operate four flights a week between Entebbe and Mombasa, nonstop for that matter sparing travelers the hassle of passing through Nairobi.
‘I am seeking to engage with Uganda Airlines to launch package deals for Ugandans and expats living in Uganda. My hotel already had such deals when Air Uganda still flew to Mombasa and because Ugandan visitors have since reduced we want to re-engage. We pick up the visitors from the airport, provide depending on package anything from bed and breakfast to full board and then at the end of their stay take them back to the airport‘ did one of them tell ATCNews.
Choices of accommodation, depending on how deep a travelers’ pockets are, range from budget accommodation and holiday apartments to five star resorts at both North and South Coast and anything in between.
Uganda Airlines is expected to launch their Mombasa flights by the end of November and once packages hit the market – travelers of course can also book just their ticket and then make their hotel or resort booking directly on line – are especially vacations over Christmas and New Year to be booked immediately to ensure that space is available and to avoid disappointment when the preferred property is no longer available.
Meanwhile are flights to the Kenya coast also being stepped up ahead of the high season with charters from Europe being added while scheduled airlines flying to Mombasa will use larger aircraft – something seen regularly with Ethiopian Airlines which serves Mombasa twice a day and moves from a B737 to a wide body when bookings come in thick and fast.
