KENYA: Tourists Flock Kenya Hotels In Readiness For Easter

Coast Hotels are optimistic of peak business during the Easter holiday that begins Friday.

Some of the establishments are already fully booked as holidaymakers trickle in to the resort town of Diani for festivities.

Hotels say local tourists from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda have boosted their Easter bookings.

Jacaranda Indian Ocean Beach Resort General Manager, Dickson Ogolla, said the hotel has 60 per cent bookings for Easter, adding that he expects the number to increase before Friday.

"We expect the bookings to increase to 80 per cent as more guests from upcountry will be trickling down for the celebrations," he said today.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye and Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) chairman Mohamed Hersi said operators were banking on the long weekend for increased business.

They say most hotels in the region are enjoying 70 to 80 per cent bed capacity with camps enjoying 60 per cent.

“We are doing fine. Easter has come quite early this time in March rather than April. We are looking at good occupancies although again Kenyans are very good in last minute bookings. We are optimistic the hotels will be full,” Mr Hersi said.

“Try to book a flight to Mombasa or Madaraka Express you won’t find any. That just tells you many Kenyans are travelling,” he added.

Kaskazi Beach Hotel general manager Imtyaz Ahmed Mirza echoed the sentiment, saying his hotel currently has an occupancy of 95 per cent.

Baobab Beach Resort also confirmed a 100 per cent occupancy rate, with 50 per cent of guests being locals while the rest are international visitors.

Mr Ikwaye reckons that the increased business from the region is due to marketing.

“There has been a lot of investments in terms of marketing in Kwale. Players in the sector have gone to World Travel Market and Uganda to source for tourists. They have upped their marketing budget and it is paying off,” he said.

He says quelled political temperatures and continued peace have also boosted tourist confidence.

“Many people didn’t travel in December due to the rising political temperatures. They now have a reason to take holidays and schools will also be closed. We are in the end of high season. Accessibility due to road network has really helped,” he added.

Despite the positive prospects ahead of the Easter holiday, Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala has recently blamed over-reliance on seasonal foreign tourists for loss of Kenya's competitive edge in the global market.



Tourism Observer

KENYA: Culinary Tourism In Kenya

There is a new trend of tourists visiting historic or beach sites but end up engaging in culinary tourism activities.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) observes that culinary tourism creates strong brand awareness and potential loyalties.

KAHC Coast branch Executive officer, Sam Ikwaye says, for instance, many Kenyans touring the Coast will always want to visit particular restaurants for local dishes like biriani and pilau.

Majority of Kenyans traveling upcountry also make stopovers at Kikopey for the delicious nyama choma, explains Mr Ikwaye. Culinary tourism can also mean specific food rituals and customs.

This can be packaged through cultural tourism, for instance, the Kalenjin mursik and the specific tree from which the charcoal flavour is infused. This can be well packaged for tourists visiting to acquire running tips and link the milk to great performance of our athletes.

In short through culinary tourism, we have a great opportunity to think globally while acting locally, Ikwaye says. Ikwaye observes that almost 100 per cent of tourists dine out when traveling and this is constantly one of the top three fantastic activities that tourists engage in.

Kenyan cuisine, Local cuisine is the priority motivating factor in choosing a destination with a bigger budget going towards food related activities, he said.

This ranges from gastronomic routes where tour operators arrange travel itineraries alongside food experiences, food and drink festivals, gourmet and luxury food travel which is made up of a small but very high spending niche.

Veteran Serena Beach Resort & Spa, Executive Chef Ali Khan Jamal notes that the Coastal Kenya is famous for its signature sea food cuisine owing to its proximity to the Indian Ocean.

At the Serena, we are synonymous with mainly Swahili and Kenyan cuisine and over time have perfected our art of food preparation, presentation to loyal clientele who have been frequenting our resort, Chef Jamal said in an interview.

Kenya Tourism Board has been spearheading the promotion of culinary tourism when it launched the Chefs Delight Award. Kenya’ culinary tourism segment is gaining momentum.

KTB anticipates that the new tourism portfolio is set to put Kenya in a global map and among the countries known for their local cuisine such as India, China and Thailand.

Yes Chefs Delight Awards™ Winners are making the Global Headlines again.

Illustrious Chef Extraordinaire Tim Freeman who was named one of Kenya’s Most Innovative Chefs in the 1st chapter of the Chefs Delight Awards™ Kenya (and also led Brew Bistro and Lounge’s kitchen teams to victory, where the restaurant won *Best Bar Bistro Restaurant* & *Best Individual Fine Dining Restaurant* as voted for by their diners), beat Celebrity Iron Chef & Master Chef Bobby Flay on Food Network!!

This is why the Go Places teams highly-recommends 'wine & dine experiences' at our partners Brew Bistro and Lounge & the newly opened Brew Bistro and Lounge Rooftop in Westlands (Fortis Towers, Woodvale Grove), which quite literally puts great emphasis on creating a deliciously inspired menu that will keep you and your guests asking for more & more.

The announcement came at a viewing party for the TV debut of an episode of ‘Beat Bobby Flay’ the cooking competition show, which featured Tim taking on and defeating the most famous Iron Chef of them all, as well as, former Boston Red Sox Executive Chef Steve Postal.

Our heartiest congratulations goes out to Chef Tim Freeman and his family, on this truly magnificent achievement and wish him success at his new position in Denver, USA.

The Go Places™ & Chefs Delight Awards™ Teams are proud to show you this video which was showcased on Korean TV of our highly-recommended dining partner Haru Japanese Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi and the man behind it all – Culinary Extraordinaire, Chef & Owner J.H. Park….

When international media take notice of our Chefs Delight Awards™ winners you know you are truly dining in one of Kenya’s very best!!!

Haru Japanese Restaurant, Karen, Nairobi was the overall WINNER as voted by their *own diners / paying customers* as the 'Best Individual Restaurant & Chef Team' as well as the 'Best Authentic Japanese Restaurant' in the country, in the highly coveted and internationally recognized Chefs Delight Awards™ (1st Chapter), under the stewardship of the world-renowned Chef J.H. Park.

If you love Sushi, Sashimi and Authentic Japanese Culinary treats (or you don't), Haru is the only restaurant in Kenya famed for taking its diners through a culinary journey in the 'land of the rising sun'; which ultimately leads to ‘every diner’, even the most discerning ones, literally craving, asking and yearning for more.

Keep locked to this page, the next post you will see on Haru Restaurant will be a personal interview with the man behind it all Chef & Owner J.H. Park.

KENYA: Ferry Crisis Hurting Tourism

The ferry crisis at the Likoni channel has dealt a blow to tourism in Diani.

The ferry crisis at the Likoni channel has dealt a blow to tourism in Diani.

According to Kenya Association of Tour Operators Coast branch Chairperson Monika Solanki, some tourists in the resort town have missed their flights after being delayed at the crossing for hours.

She said since last Friday, tourists in Diani have been facing difficulties in reaching the Moi International Airport in time for their flights home.

Ms Solanki said the visitors faced delays of between two and three hours.

The official said international tourists heading to Diani for holidays are being frustrated by the frequent delays at the channel.

“After the just concluded Magical Kenya Travel Expo, many tourists were interested in going to Diani for leisure,” she Ms Solanki.

“Sadly, the ferry crisis is making both local and international visitors avoid travelling to the South Coast due to the delay nightmare,” she said.

Ms Solanki said the delays at the channel have also adversely affected safaris to Shimba Hills Game Reserve.

She said wildlife enthusiasts heading for game drives lose precious hours of watching animals after being held up at the crossing for hours.

ECONOMY AFFECTED
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast Chief Executive Officer Sam Ikwaye said the transport crisis at Likoni is a setback to Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (Mice) tourism in Diani.

He said the delays are slowing down both the government’s and the private sector’s efforts to revive the tourism industry in the South Coast.

“The government spent a lot of money in bringing international tour operators and travel agents to Diani during the recent travel show,” he said.

Mr Ikwaye said conference organisers are avoiding Diani because of transport woes at the Likoni crossing.

Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mombasa Chief Executive officer James Kitavi said the ferry crisis had affected economic activities in the South Coast.

When reached for comment, the ferry boss, Mr Musa Hassan Musa said the ferries are worn out.