Investors in the hotel business at the Coast are confident that conference tourism will sustain them as the low season kicks in.
Speaking during the official launch of PrideInn Paradise resort, Kenya Coast Tourist Association and Heritage Hotels CEO Mohammed Hersi said the tourism sector in the region has shown signs of recovery as compared to two years ago.
He noted that most of the hoteliers at the Coast have now turned to the corporate sector during this period.
“Domestic tourism is resilient, especially given that most facilities are now customising their services to the corporate sector and embarking on serious conference tourism marketing. This will boost the destination,” he said, as quoted by Mediamax.
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) secretary for Malindi and Watamu, Philip Chai echoed Hersi’s sentiments, saying that domestic tourism has greatly improved over the years.
Chai pointed out that around 70 per cent of the visitors at the Coast during the festive season were local tourists.
“We hope businesses will be kept afloat by conferences and domestic tourists,” Chai said.
On his part, KAHC Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said that hoteliers in the region have upgraded their facilities to enable them accommodate large numbers of visitors during this season.