Two new hotels added to Western tourism circuit

Flamingos at Otok swamp in Homa Bay last week. The Western Kenya tourism circuit has a 1,500-bed shortage. PHOTO | JACOB OWITI | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By MOSES ODHIAMBO

In Summary

• The two new hotels are expected to raise the region’s capacity to host both local and international tourists.

The Western Kenya tourism circuit is set to benefit from two new hotels, Acacia Premier Hotel owned by the Simba Colt hospitality group, and PrideInn. Other than Acacia, Simba Colt Group owns Kempinski Villa Rosa and Olare Kempinski hotels.

The four-star hotel in Kisumu will be opened in December. It is located within the prime Milimani estate, adjacent to Central Bank of Kenya. PrideInn Hotels is setting up a three-star, 52-bed facility similar to its other hotels in Nairobi and Mombasa.

Other hotels in the western Kenya circuit include Sunset, Impala Eco-Lodge and Impala Sanctuary.

The two new hotels are expected to raise the region’s capacity to host both local and international tourists. The facilities are also set to cut down on the 40 per cent bed shortage in the circuit due to low investment in the hospitality sector, Mr Robinson Anyal, the chairman of Western Kenya Hotel Managers Association said.

Mr Anyal said the region needs brisk marketing to attract more tourists. “We have seen an unprecedented rise in the number of such high class facilities, which is an indicator that demand is high,” he said.

Pride Group CEO Hasnain Noorani said the hotel will be completed in less than a year. “We want to put our efforts in building brand stability through investment projects that are coming up,” Mr Noorani said.

The group plans to create 800 more jobs from the current 300 by the end of next year. “We will later move into other areas starting with Eldoret, Machakos and Nakuru,” Mr Noorani said in a statement.

Mr Anyal said that new entrants in the circuit will get labour easily from a large pool of graduates churned out by universities and colleges.

“For instance, Maseno University has an elaborate programme that trains many hoteliers. Most graduates have the required hands-on skills which investors prefer,” he said.

Room for investors

Mr Anyal said that other hotel owners also gain from tourism. “Neighbouring entertainment joints also benefit from the inflow of domestic tourists and some international tourists also enjoy regular visits to the circuit.”

He said that there was more room for investors in the hospitality sector, adding that there was a 1,500-bed shortage in the circuit.

“There is need for conference facilities. We hope to edge out Mombasa due to the stable security enjoyed in western Kenya.”
He urged investors to end high employee turnover, noting that it was hurting the sector.

Lake Victoria Tourism Association chairman Daniel Okumu said that new hotels were entering a market where tourism products are already established.

“We have an established circuit with uncountable physical attractions, notably Kit Mikayi, Kogelo and Impala Sanctuary. We are identifying more, including home stay,” said Mr Okumu.