Tourism boom for Coast as more international holidaymakers expected

Tourists arriving at Moi International Airport, Mombasa. The Coast region is expected to receive increased numbers of international tourists between October to December 2015. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

In Summary

• Baobab Beach Resort general manager Sylvester Mbandi Sunday said the hotel expects occupancy by international guests to increase to 40 per cent in October.
• The guests, he added, will mainly come from the Germany and the United Kingdom.
• Severin Sea Lodge director Severin Schulte said the hotel will receive guests from Germany and Scandinavian countries.

By MATHIAS RINGA
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Tourism players in the Coast are expecting international tourist arrivals to increase from October to December this year.

In August, hotels were busy as a result of domestic tourists who poured into Mombasa due to just ended school holidays and the Mombasa International Agricultural Show.

On the other hand, the sector got a shot in the arm when the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the government hosted the East Africa Tourism Development Programme at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort, Mombasa.

In August, hotel occupancy in Mombasa from both domestic and international markets was between 70 and 100 per cent compared to between 30 and 40 per cent in July.

International guest numbers across the region averaged at below 10 per cent compared to between 20 and 25 per cent in the same period last year.

Baobab Beach Resort general manager Sylvester Mbandi Sunday said the hotel expects occupancy by international guests to increase from 20 per cent in August to 40 per cent in October.

At the moment, he said, the hotel has guests from Germany and Italy, but expects to receive holidaymakers from Poland in October.

OCCUPANCY RISE TO 50PC

“From October to November, we expect occupancy of between 40 and 50 per cent from international markets up from 20 per cent,” he said.

“Currently, majority of the guests are from the domestic market owing to the schools’ break,” he added.

Heritage Hotels chief executive officer Mohamed Hersi said the group expects guest numbers at Voyager Hotel, Mombasa, to soar to 20 per cent in November up from below 10 per cent in August.

The guests, he added, will mainly come from the Germany and the United Kingdom.

He attributed the expected rise in international tourist arrivals in November to marketing campaigns which were conducted by the group in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

“Our hotel group has marketing representatives in the US, UK and Canada and we expect to receive guests from those countries too.

“Plans are also afoot for the Group to recruit marketing agents in China and India to boost arrivals from Asia,” he explained.

Severin Sea Lodge director Severin Schulte said the hotel will receive guests from Germany and Scandinavian countries from November to next year’s Easter holidays.

Mr Schulte said major tour operators TUI Travel and Thomas Cook are making bookings for international visitors to come for holiday in Mombasa as well as for game drives