Drop in South coast occupancy shows worrying trend

KENYASOUTHCOAST BED OCCUPANCY DROPS

Information received by a regular source from the Kenyan coast makes stark reading, as the occupancy statistics attached to it made for an average of only 43 percent in September. Variances though were significant, ranging from 15 to 75 percent occupancy, but worrying overall as by and large the figures were once again down from the previous record breaking year of 2011.

This belies the projections and announcements recently made by the minister of tourism, who according to another source from the coast ‘should look at our reality and stop living in a different world from ours’, after claiming the industry was in for 100 billion in revenues this year.

At the same time is additional information emerging that a Czech airline, operating flights from Hungary to Mombasa, is now also planning to halt their flights too due to a drop in demand. This, if ultimately confirmed, would add to the woes of coast hoteliers being able to have their European market offer enough flights and seats to fill the existing beds. ‘People should stop lamenting and look for business somewhere else, there are markets out there which we can tap into. Only yesterday you wrote that RwandAir is going to add a fourth flight per week between Kigali and Mombasa, so let us work with them to bring more visitors. They fly to a lot of places where business and holiday visits can be promoted’ said another source who on earlier occasions had expressed his personal opinion that there are opportunities in adversity but only found and exploited by thinking outside the box.