By Philip Mwakio

Tourism Minister Najib Balala has welcomed a partnership between a local-owned hotel chain and an international resort chain at the Coast.

The tie up involves Neptune Group of Hotels with star-rated resorts in Kenya and Zanzibar and the Sentido hotels and resorts, which has establishments in the hospitality industry in Spain, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.

Speaking when he unveiled the Sentido Neptune hotels and resorts at the South Coast over the weekend, Balala said Neptune Group had broken new frontiers by partnering with the Sentido Group. He said the new concept could raise standards in the tourism industry.

greater things

"Kenya has been without branded international hotel chains, but with this new marriage, it is the start of greater things," said Balala during the launch.

He said all players in the industry know what it takes and what it means to bring home one of the major players in the global tourism arena, the Sentido brand.

He added said Sentido brings to Kenya the Thomas Cook Group, one of the country’s most valued travel trade partners.

"It is the leading global volume travel operator that has been driving volumes of tourists to Kenya."