Shut the beach

A few years ago, like a tradition, Kenyans used to troop to the Coast for the Christmas and New Year festivities. Events organisers hosted major beach parties with international and local stars gracing the bonanzas.

However, the beach fireworks are no more and it is business unusual for beach club owners as Kenyans seek other options 

“Ring in the New Year with a bang! Join the hottest countdown celebration in town, with the iconic Indian Ocean as the backdrop and various other attractions in Mombasa. The Countdown will indeed be a feast for the senses...,” an online advert screams in an attempt to attract party lovers to attend the planned New Year extravaganza at Club Il Covo in Nyali.

The event features some of the ‘illest’ video deejays in the country among them Delph, Hypnotiq, Mista Dru, Protégé and Creme de la Crème.

Several other New Year celebrations have been planned among them the New Year Fiesta taking place at Jamboree Beach (featuring Dogo Aslay, Hussein Machozi, Sav Clan, Susumila and Shettah among others) as well as the much-publicised Mombasa Beach Hotel party organised by leading events promoter Chacha — set to feature leading Mombasa and Nairobi music stars.

The festivity mood is ripe and many Kenyans are on a last minute rush, booking tickets to their preferred holiday destinations.

For the ordinary Kenyan, through the years, the Coast has been a top holiday destination come the Christmas holiday.

It is the time of the year when beach property owners, music promoters, events organisers, musicians and other players in the entertainment industry make a kill as holidaymakers hunt for luxury, fun and adventure after a whole year of toil.

However, in the last two years, the Coastal entertainment scene has drastically changed thanks to growing cases of insecurity connected with terrorism.

Unlike the past when international stars were booked to perform in major New Year concerts across the major towns in Kenya, no major international icon will be visiting the country — leave alone Mombasa — over the season.

Last year, the government bunned all New Year beach parties at the Coast sending millions to the drain as marked showbiz events got cancelled at the eleventh hour.

The usual party mood and sea of humanity at the beach fronts was replaced by heavy police presence as revellers retreated to quiet five-star hotels, small pubs and secluded apartments to wish the season away.

Not even church celebrations were spared.

“The industry literally went to its knees last year due to the terrorism scare. Beach clubs have been forced to shut down. The government should move in and salvage us. It has been a bad year for us. If the government goes ahead to ban beach concerts this season, that could just be the nailing blow,” Hassan Faisal, a leading showbiz organiser and property manager, told Pulse on Tuesday.

“They (police) can’t shut the beach again. No. That is not the solution. They just need to beef up security and assure Kenyans that all will be well,” VJ Delph added.

Our random study showed that some Kenyans, who previously preferred Coast as their holiday destination, were opting for other local tourism attractions.

Coincidentally, the situation has become a blessing in disguise for a section of the hospitality industry at the Coast.

“We are seeing an increased number of patrons in our premises and as the season checks in, we expect more bookings. As much as there might not be many beach activities, the Coast remains a preferred holiday destination for all,” Julius Kamau, the proprietor of Club Lambada Holiday Resort, one of the most popular nightspots in Mtwapa, told Pulse.

“We are almost fully booked. Over 70 per cent of our bookings this season are clients from Nairobi. Many Kenyans are opting for Diani as a holiday destination,” said Claris Odongo, who manages Diani Homes properties and a chain of beach hotels in South Coast.  

“I think Kenyans are getting more diverse when it comes to making options on holiday destination. Besides the effects we have suffered due to the said insecurity issues at the Coast, Kenyans are freely opting to venture the numerous attraction spots across the country and this is helping the growth of domestic tourism,” noted Anastanzia Wakesho, the Domestic Tourism Association head.