Hotels in Nairobi reap big from Japan-Africa talks

Delegates from Japan follow the proceedings of TICAD at KICC. PHOTO: BEVERLYNE MUSILI/STANDARD

KENYA: Hoteliers were among the biggest beneficiaries of the just-concluded Japan-Africa talks.

This was a rare boon for the hospitality sector that has in recent years experienced tough times.

By August 3, more than three weeks before the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI) kicked off, 12 of the country’s top hotels were fully booked.

All the rooms at Radisson Blu, Sankara, Villa Rosa Kempinski, and Intercontinental Hotel had been taken up. Other hotels had been fully booked include Golden Tulip, Serena, Nairobi Safari Club, Fairview, Hilton, Laico Regency, Sarova Panafric and Sarova Stanley.

The country welcomed more than 10,000 delegates from Africa and Japan for the two-day conference, which drew 35 African heads of state.

The TICAD VI Secretariat had recommended 96 hotels to the visiting delegates.

The cheapest accommodation was a standard single room at Hennessis Hotel at $55 (Sh5,555), while a presidential room at Intercontinental Hotel cost about $3,200 (Sh323,200).

The secretariat added that there would be enough security, with the National Police Service implementing a standard operating procedure that would be implemented from delegates’ arrival to their departure.

The country spent about Sh500 million on logistics, though it is said that the government of Japan and the United Nations contributed a portion of this budget.

THE WINDFALL

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed had projected that about Sh12 billion would be pumped into the economy as a result of the conference.

And with the wildebeest migration in swing, a large number of delegates took advantage of their visit to witness the spectacular movement of animals from Tanzania to Kenya.

According to the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers CEO Mike Macharia, the impact of the guests was certainly significant.

He confirmed that many visitors are still in the country, having booked safaris to the Mara.

The windfall extended beyond those in hospitality to the transport sector, with taxi owners minting cash from moving delegates from their hotels to the venue of the conference, as well as hiring out vehicles to those who wanted to explore Nairobi a bit more.

Kenya Airways, which has taken financial hit after hit, was also a beneficiary as the summit’s airline partner, and said it recorded a “busy week”.

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