CS Balala in sky jump at launch of new hotel in Mombasa

CS Balala in sky jump at launch of new hotel in Mombasa.(Photo: Gideon Maundu/Standard)

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala arrived in style at the opening of Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort, Convention Centre and Spa in Mombasa on Friday.

The CS sky-dived from 10,000 feet after jumping off a Baron aircraft in what is his second sky dive. Last year, he sky-dived in Watamu.

He later officiated at the unveiling of the 300-room hotel that has a 2,500-convention centre and aqua safari theme park.

Also sky-diving alongside Balala was Group Managing Director of Pride Group, owners of the resort, Mr Hasnain Noorani. The aircraft had taken off from the Moi International Airport (MIA) before making an aerial detour over Mombasa City.

One of the professional sky divers, Sergey Ignatov from Russia carried a Kenyan flag which he displayed all through until he landed on the sandy beaches infront of the hotel.

Balala and Noorani were with professional sky divers Serah Erickson and Angelo Vuletic, who are members of the Sky Dive Diani.

As the CS and Pride Inn Group MD made the free fall descent cruising at a speed of 120 kilometres per hour, hundreds of guests who included CEOs of tourism agencies lined up the beach frontage to catch the rare glimpse of the minister and his team of sky divers land.

"The first time I did sky jumping, I said to myself that I will not attempt again. Here I am today doing it my second time,'' Balala said after his safe landing.

On his part, Noorani, who has made several jumps said that he was excited at the prospects of seeing Mombasa City from the sky. "It was a sight to behold. Mombasa has such a wonderful scenery," he said.

Balala hailed the management of Pride Inn Hotels which started off as a budget hotel but now owns a high end hotel chain in Kenya.

"Kenya's Vision 2030 aims at making Kenya one of the top 10 long haul tourist destinations globally.

"Attaining this status will definitely involve addressing constraints facing the sector and implementing strategic projects to improve the quality and breath of Kenya's tourist offerings," Balala said.

He added that his ministry is developing the Kenya Tourism Sector Blueprint 2030 with the aim of combining the three arms of Kenya's travel industry -- inbound, domestic and outbound travel into one formidable force to build the industry.

He urged the management of the hotel group to ensure that they apply the best management practices and engage the right staff to ensure that services provided remain top class.

He further asked the hotel management which started three years ago to increase its investments in the country with particular interest of enhancing bed capacity.

Noorani said that the investment his group has put in establishing the resort is a clear indication of confidence they have in Kenya as a country and a tourism destination of choice.

"This investment is testament of the confidence we have in Kenya's hospitality industry particularly conference tourism which is why we dedicated a substantial portion of our resources into the convention centre,'' Noorani said.

In 2018, the hotel will play host to the World Skall Congress to be held in Mombasa. Pride Inn Paradise has employed 400 locals with veteran hotelier, Imtiaz Mirza as the General Manager.