Tourism defies traditional low season curse

Story by MAZERA NDURYA
Publication Date: 5/29/2007
The Nation

Even as the low season continues to bite, a number tourists are still visible on the beaches and streets of major tourist towns at the Coast.

Some hoteliers say the industry is not down as has been the case during the previous years when most of them would close down.

Those who closed their businesses, for instance, said they did so to spruce up their facilities ahead of the high season, which starts in July.

Hotels like the Leopard Beach Resort in the South Coast and the Club Temple Point in the North Coast, are spending millions of shillings to upgrade their facilities, an indication that the industry is getting more lucrative.

News of growth in the industry by 14.9 per cent, contained in the latest Economic Survey, can easily be felt but players in the industry are demanding more from the Government to sustain and increase the stakes.

Hoteliers and tour operators said there was a marked growth in arrivals, bed occupancy and charter flights into the key tourist circuits.

The chairman of the Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers Coast branch, Mr Mohamed Hersi, said hoteliers were comfortable with the analysis indicating growth in the industry.

“We are not even worried about the increase in numbers because we have not reached a stage where large numbers would lead to problems of accommodation. Certain things have also been done like the refurbishment of the second terminal at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa,” he said.

But Mr Hersi said that despite the growth and more money to the exchequer, the Government investment into the industry was low.

Two million mark

“The Government is not giving enough consideration in terms of incentives to the industry. What will happen if Kenya reaches the two million mark when there will be increased pressure on the natural resources?” he asked.

The biggest issue was the management of national parks where Mr Hersi said the debate about local authorities’ role should not be shelved.

“For Kenya to talk of proper and sustainable management of the ecosystem in these facilities, there has to be professional bodies like the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), given the responsibility of managing them.

“Wildlife management is a completely different concept from ordinary management of local authorities where even issues as small as garbage collection cannot be settled.

Mr Hersi said it was time for the Government to make good its promise of tax incentives to investors to help in expanding the industry.

Tour operators too concur with last year’s growth figures and say indications are also showing that the sector was set to grow even further this year.

The managing director of Abercrombie & Kent Coast Limited, Mr Auni Kanji, said there has been an increase in charter flights and cruise ships at the port of Mombasa.

But, he said, something has to be done on safari bookings because a shortage of space was becoming a big problem.

“The moratorium on development in game parks needs to be reviewed because it is having a serious implication on safari. But that’s not all. The impending increase in park charges now threatens to scare away safari seekers because it will be very expensive [compared to] Kenya’s competitors,” he said.

High spending clientele

One area that Kenya had not yet taken seriously was the flying safari, a package that could see a different type of high spending clientele come calling. Safari business was growing and Mr Kanji said there was need for the Government to look at the issue of taxation for importation of safari vehicles.

While the Government talks of introducing tax incentives, players in the industry said what would be given in that score would be taken away by the long process it takes to clear goods at the port.

The industry is infrastructure, investors are crossing their fingers and hoping that the gains and the tempo for growth would not be interfered with by the next General Election.

Hoteliers in Lamu are bemoaning the poor road network and erratic supply of electricity and water as major handicaps.