Hotels at the Coast continue to enjoy brisk business after the December and New Year festivities thanks to the delayed school reopening, with most facilities reporting over 80 per cent bed occupancy.
Most hotels still have guests with the majority being domestic tourists.
“Normally, schools open by January 4 but, with the change in the school calendar, it appears most families decided to remain at the coast after Christmas to enjoy because the rates are normally very affordable,” Kenya Coast Tourism Association chairman Victor Shitakha told Nation.
Mr Shitakha said the extended school holidays have boosted the bigger hotels which are fully packed. He said Mombasa which is a meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions hub, is enjoying good fortunes as most companies flock to the region to hold their meetings.
“Many companies are in Mombasa to discuss their annual strategies,” he added. Normally in January, the white sandy beaches become deserted with holidaymakers returning home to prepare for schools reopening.
“We are having a second group of holidaymakers who are riding on the low rates after the festivities,” said Travelers Beach hotel general manager Hillary Siele.
Serena Beach Hotel deputy general manager Amos Odoyo said the sector is enjoying good fortunes.
“We closed December with 90 per cent bed occupancy compared to 71 per cent the previous year. Normally, in January, we always experience a drop in bed occupancy when families return for schools reopening,” he added.
Meanwhile, players in the tourism industry have welcomed the planned stopover of the Madaraka Express train at Voi station in Taita Taveta County. Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) announced that the 3pm express train will, from February 1, make a stopover in Voi.
Demand for Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train services in Voi has been increasing as the number of those alighting and boarding the train, especially during the festive and high tourism seasons increased.
The county hosts the Tsavo East and West national parks, which attract a huge number of tourists who visit to see wildlife. The county also serves as a link to Mkomanzi National Park in Tanzania through the Taveta/Holili border.
The announcement is good news for tourism industry players in Coast region. Pollman’s Group Operations Director Mohamed Hersi the move will go a long way in boosting tourism in Taita Taveta and Tsavo.
The KRC stated that it will open bookings for the new route soon.
Voi Wildlife Lodge manager Augustine Mwanake said he was optimistic that the stopover will increase the number of tourists that flock to the county.
“Visitors will move faster and cheaply and the county will become accessible. Accessibility is a critical factor to tourism,” he said.
He added that some tourists prefer to use the train rather than travel by road or air.
“We missed many guests in December because the train was fully booked. Now, we know our numbers will increase because of the stopover,” he said.
Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime said the stopover will boost tourism and the economy of the county.
“I started lobbying for this when I was the Mwatate MP. I am happy now they have made this a reality. It will have a huge impact on our economy and boost the number of visitors who will come to our county,” he said.
