Traders in Mombasa are preparing to cash in on the 79th Skal International World Congress as delegates arrive at the coastal city for the meeting which started on Wednesday.
More than 500 delegates will attend the four-day conference set to be held at Pride In Paradise Hotel. Skål is a body that incorporates tourism players in the travel and hospitality sectors.
Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers Coast Executive officer Sam Ikwaye said the Congress will give hotels and other businesses in the region a huge boost in terms of revenue and exposure considering the expected pool of visitors from all over the world.
“We expect a huge number of visitors in our hotels which will translate to into huge revenue across the tourism value chain because these people will be moving from place to place,” he said.
Ikwaye added that the visit would give the country an edge over its competitors in the tourism sector because it would act as a marketing platform.
He further said small enterprises will benefit a great deal through the supply of goods and sale of items like curios, food and clothes and presents.
“SMEs will also gain a lot as hotels will need suppliers of food products, tourists will also want to buy our artwork, taste our local foods during their movements and they will require tour guides thus tour companies will earn. It is a complete chain,” Ikwaye added.
He urged the private sector to invest in conference facilities considering the increased number of global conferences being held in the country.