The scheduled arrival of a charter plane carrying Indian and Chinese tourists at Moi International Airport this coming Friday is set to improve tourism fortunes in the region.
According to Watamu Temple Point Resort General Manager Mr. Ravi Rohra, about 300 tourists are expected to arrive in Mombasa and link a plane to Malindi Airport, organized prior by the Resort.
“We have been marketing in India and China, and now are witnessing the results,” said Ravi Rohra.
Speaking to the press at his Resort today Mr. Rohra said “We have introduced new services to cater to our new clients, adding that “The tourism industry cannot rely on the European market alone”.
He also said despite being an election year, Watamu hotels have not received any cancellations on earlier bookings, an indication that foreign governments are confident that the August polls will be peaceful.
Mr. Rohra cited lack of connecting flights between Nairobi and Mombasa to Malindi Airport as the main challenge the industry is experiencing.
Malindi Member of Parliament (MP) Willy Mtengo echoed Rohra’s sentiments saying, “Stakeholders in the tourism industry should advertise their services in the Far East because the European market is not assured.”
Mr. Mtengo said tourists’ numbers have dropped drastically in Malindi with bed occupancy between 1.5 to 2 per cent.
Another investor in the industry from Watamu Mr. Hans Juergen Langer said the European market cannot be relied upon at the moment due to fear of insecurity and the downturn in their economies.
Langer, who is German national said that he has invested more than Sh300 million in the hospitality industry in the last five years.
Tourism at the Coast region has faced a downturn for the last four years due to terror attacks and has never resurrected.