Kenyan hotels bag top Africa awards

Kenyan firms scooped top awards at Africa’s World Travel Awards in Nairobi on Wednesday.

The awards attracted about 30 countries from Africa and several local companies won awards for exemplary performance.

Serena Hotels won five categories for best performance in Kenya and Africa and received Africa’s leading eco hotel under its Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, while in East Africa, it was top in Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

In Kenya, the hotel won the leading business hotel award.
Kenya’s leading hotel award went to Sarova Stanley, while Africa’s leading tourism board award went to the Kenya Tourism Board.

Enashipai Resort and Spa, which was established two years ago, is the leading spa resort in the country.

“The award is a great honour for Enashipai. These underpin our commitment to offer our guests the very best in Naivasha,” Marketing and Communication Director Elizabeth Wanjeri said.

The spa also received a certificate of excellence 2013 award from Trip Advisor, the world’s largest travel site earlier this year.

Villa Rosa Kempiski of Nairobi won Africa’s leading new hotel award, while Africa’s leading green hotel award went to the Aberdare Country Club.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie said at the awards that Africa is the next frontier in tourism.

She said: “Besides our traditional source markets such as USA, UK, Germany, France and Italy, the continent has the potential to grow the tourism pie to Kenya.

Strategy is bearing fruit

“We have aggressively mounted campaigns in various countries in the continent. The strategy is bearing fruit.

“For example markets such as Uganda grew by 44 per cent last year compared to 2011,” the minister noted.

Tourism board managing director Muriithi Ndegwa said tourism was expected to uphold constant improvement in services.

“Africa being recognised as the second frontier in terms of investments and tourism gives us a challenge of living up to these expectations,” Mr Ndegwa said.