Hotels in the coastal city of Mombasa are bracing for the peak tourism season as holiday makers flock the sandy beaches and bed occupancy rose steadily.
Travelers Beach Hotel Sales and Marketing Manager, Wafula Waswa who spoke on behalf of the hoteliers said since the beginning of December, hotel bookings had been rising from 40 per cent to 60 per cent.
Mr. Waswa said hotels had been surviving on conferences, workshops and seminars from government and corporate organisations before the festive season soared to its current encouraging levels.
The hotelier said during the just ended low tourists’ season, most establishments in the north coast tourism circuit had used the opportunity to refurbish their facilities.
The sales and marketing manager said the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) Madaraka train service was attracting more domestic holidaymakers from upcountry due to its low cost and time efficiency.
He urged hoteliers to improve their hotels, saying constant refurbishments were the only way to improve bed occupancy and generate more cash.
He said most establishments were stirring back to life and registering good bookings as tourists flocked back to sample the pristine sandy beaches.
“The hotel sector is looking buoyant with the encouraging bookings and reservations during the holiday season as we continue to receive a large number of domestic and international holidaymakers,” he said in an interview.
He attributed the high number of visitors especially from Europe to the aggressive marketing strategies employed by the Kenya Tourism Board and other tourism stakeholders.
He said most hotels had beefed up security around their business premises and that hotel guards were conducting robust security checks on guests and their luggage.
Mombasa has always been the preferred holiday destination for domestic and foreign tourists eager to savour its pristine sandy beaches and tropical ambience.
Others also visit fort Jesus and old town among other destinations.
The majority local tourists visit their favourite beaches, Fort Jesus and old town among other destinations.
Meanwhile, Mombasa County Commissioner (CC), Evans Achoki has assured tourists of enhanced security since a tight security management is in place to guarantee their safety.
He said security patrols had been intensified in all tourist attraction sites and activity areas along the beaches.
Mr. Achoki said security personnel had been deployed to guard vital installations in the region, places of workshop and shopping malls to curb threats of any form of attacks.
The administrator asked residents and visitors to be vigilant and endeavor to report to security organs any suspicious elements in their midst for prompt action.
By Hussein Abdullahi
