Hotel owners want Mombasa cultural festival held during low season to boost tourism

Local tourists flock Mama Ngina drive in Mombasa on August 17, 2015 during the Mombasa International Cultural Festival. Hotel operators now want the festival held during low tourism season instead of the busy August holiday month in order to boost tourism in the coastal town. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mombasa hotels had been unable to participate in the expo as their employees were busy serving guests.
  • Only Temple Point Resort in Watamu, Kilifi County, has an exhibition stand at the festival.
  • Voyager Hotel, however, would allow its guests to attend the festival, said Mr Hersi, who is also the Heritage Hotels chief executive officer.
  • The festival’s chairman Rabia Salim, however, said the county government involved tourism players and sent invitations to all Mombasa hotels.

Tourism players want the Mombasa International Cultural Festival held during low tourist season instead of the busy month of August.

They also want the county government to involve hotels and tour operators in planning the event to attract more holidaymakers to the resort town.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said the cultural fair would be more helpful if it is held between April and June when hotels have few guests.

“At the moment, hotels are busy due to school holidays and the Mombasa International Agricultural Show, which will begin next week.

“Holding the 10-day festival during the low season will prevent closure of hotels as people attending it will definitely stay in the beach resorts,” he told the Nation Tuesday.

Mombasa hotels had been unable to participate in the expo as their employees were busy serving guests mainly from the domestic market, he added.

Only Temple Point Resort in Watamu, Kilifi County, has an exhibition stand at the Mama Ngina Drive, where the Mombasa County government is hosting the festival.

NO BOOST IN BOOKINGS

The exhibition did not boost tourist bookings since hotels were already enjoying brisk business due to the school holidays, conferences and the agricultural show, according to Mr Ikwaye.

Kenya Coast Tourism Association chairman Mohamed Hersi said hotels could not exhibit at the expo due to improved numbers of guests from Nairobi and upcountry.

Hotel occupancy in Mombasa has soared to between 70 and 80 per cent compared to 30 and 40 per cent last month, according to the official.

Voyager Hotel, however, would allow its guests to attend the festival, said Mr Hersi, who is also the Heritage Hotels chief executive officer.

A tourism official who wished not to be named said hotels in Mombasa are not participating because they had not been involved in the preparations.

“We are not participating in the festival because the organising committee didn’t involve us in planning the event,” she said.

The festival’s chairman Rabia Salim, however, said the county government involved tourism players and sent invitations to all Mombasa hotels.