Coast hoteliers register mixed luck as Easter bookings reduce

"All international guests who booked with us kept their reservations and are here for the Easter celebrations. There are indications that some will stay longer than the one-week limit," he said.

According to Kamani, last season saw extended stays in hotel accommodations that lasted longer because schools opened late.

He said they are counting on peaceful coexistence in the country to increase tourist numbers to pre-Covid-19 levels.

Kamani said they are optimistic about the future and have increased their efforts to invest in new products and infrastructure.

He said hoteliers are renovating hotels to attract more business.

"We hope by the time we have the next long holiday in December, Diani Reef Beach Resort will have more rooms. Another area we have taken bold steps to invest in is the conference facilities," he said.

He added that owing to the demand for conference space, they have added a second conference facility.

The hotel partnered with Vaso Kenya, an eco-friendly small medium enterprise, to conduct a beach clean-up exercise that brought together hotel staff, guests and beach operators.

The Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers ( KAHC) Coast branch executive officer Dr Sam Ikwaye said this year's overall occupancy was low-key compared to previous years.

"Because the Easter holiday coincided with school dates, the school educational calendar had an impact on general family travel. Recent Azimio demonstrations and political activities have detoured many Kenyans who would otherwise have planned to spend the holidays here," Ikwaye said.

He also said there were several inquiries at the start of the year for Easter, with occupancy reaching 80 per cent.

"The high cost of living has impacted the majority of Kenyan households which hurts efforts by the operators to offer competitive rates," Ikwaye added.

He said despite travel advisories from key source markets, international arrivals in the country have remained high.

"Street protests called by opposition leaders have never impacted confirmed international bookings," Ikwaye said.

Multiple interviews with Coast industry players confirmed that the tourists scheduled to arrive aboard the Bahamas flag cruise ship Seabourn Sojourn on April 14 for a three-day stay were cancelled.

The ship was scheduled to arrive from Mahe, Seychelles, before departing for Zanzibar. The ship skipped Mombasa and headed to Tanzania's Dar Es Salaam.

Ikwaye termed it a big blow to hoteliers, tour guides, and the Coast economy at large.

"We are not yet out of the woods. We are still smarting from the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown. Just when things are starting to look up, we have the demonstrations scaring tourists away," Ikwaye said.

He said they are optimistic that the economy would rebound and domestic clients would have disposable income, leading to stability.

At the Jacyjoka Holiday Apartments in the upmarket Nyali area, Mombasa County, scores of repeater guests from Europe checked in for the Easter holiday.

According to the proprietor, Janet Chamia, international tourists continued exhibiting resilience by returning to Kenya for holidays.
The three-star Plaza Beach Hotel in Bamburi, Mombasa County, has been patronised by domestic tourists from Kenya and the region.

Hotel General Manager Dennis Gwaro said the aggressive marketing campaigns they initiated, like their participation at the annual Sarit Centre Holiday Expo in Nairobi, brought in the much-needed number of visitors.

A spot check at the Madaraka Express passenger train service terminal at Miritini on the outskirts of Mombasa and the Moi International Airport showed normal operations, unlike before when there was a complete rush to travel.

In the Coast region, players in the hospitality sector depend on two seasons in the tourism calendar; the April peak season, bolstered by both domestic and international travelers visiting for Easter holidays.

The July peak season is when tourists flock to the Maasai Mara for the wildebeest migration.