Thursday, October 10, 2013
Thrifty Enterprise staff on a trampolin during the Ideal Hospitality
Expo at the KICC on October 9, 2013. The hotel and hospitality industry
plans to cash in on the opening up of the East African borders. PHOTO/
DIANA NGILA
The hotel and hospitality industry plans to cash in on the opening up of the East African borders.
The
firms said their businesses will expand once the use of national
identity cards as travel documents within East African states is
implemented in January.
Speaking at the second Ideal Hospitality Expo in Nairobi yesterday, Kenya Tourism Board managing director Muriithi Ndegwa said this would expand the tourist market and increase revenue.
“We are currently contributing 12 per cent to the GDP, and opening up the regional market will play a big role in expanding the industry by increasing the number of tourists by say one million each year,” Mr Ndegwa said.
The move, he added, will create a platform for intra-Africa tourism as the industry seeks to thrive after the borders are opened up to allow local and foreign tourists travel easily.
The firms are also counting on the Lapsset projects as improved infrastructure in the region will play a big role in easing movement of people between member states.
The expo has attracted more than 42 exhibitors from the region.
Items at the fair are catering equipment, housekeeping, food and beverages, tableware and sanitary ware as well as furniture and furnishings. Others are energy, air conditioning systems and flooring, among others.
An assistant director of tourism, Ms Keziah Odemba, urged everyone in the industry to invest in counties to ensure quality hospitality was accessible at the grassroots across the country.
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