Coast hoteliers cut rates by half to woo domestic tourists planning for holiday in December

Tourists disembark from Skyward Express airline after landing at Manda Airport in Lamu County from Mombasa. There has been an increase in the number of flights into Lamu following interest by local tourists in the ancient town. [Joackim Bwana]

Hoteliers along the Coast have cut rates by up to 50 per cent as they try to woo domestic tourists following crushing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. In September, hoteliers projected the sector will start to recover in the third quarter or December holidays, but the second wave of Covid-19 has dampened the hopes.

Multiple industry players interviewed by Travelog said they have opted to subsidise their rates to tap into the potential of the domestics market. Traditionally, the rates are high in December because of high demand from the locals travelling to the Coast for December holidays and foreigners escaping the winter seasons abroad. A spot check by Travelog showed that hospitality businesses in the Diani stretch that were overly dependent on the overseas market without regard for the domestic scene are indeed struggling.