By PHILIP MWAKIO

Threat posed by the outlawed Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) adversely affected hotel occupancy at the Coast during Christmas and New Year festivities.

Coast tourism industry players told The Standard that though occupancies in most star- rated hotels averaged 70 per cent, the figure was nowhere compared to previous years.

“In the past, we would get 100 per cent occupancies throughout the festive season with guests checking in early December. This time round, there were late bookings still finding space as late as mid December,” said Kaskazi Beach Hotel General Manager, Diana Ondego.

Ms Ondego said international travels dropped significantly after a number of tourist source markets in Europe and the United States of America issued travel advisories against travelling to some parts of the country.

But the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch executive officer, Sam Ikwaye said aggressive marketing campaigns by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), targeting the local traveller cushioned the industry after the number of international tourist travellers dropped.

“KTB?campaigned through TV, newspapers and the Internet and convinced more people to embrace holiday within the country,’’ Ikwaye said.

“Police must be commended for ensuring holidaymakers went about their businesses undeterred,’’ he said. Mr Ikwaye also praised of the Kenya Ferry Services? (KFS).

“Ferry services went on uninterrupted during the festive season and we wish to salute the management of KFS for a job well done,’’ Ikwaye said.

He said apart from Mombasa, the North Coast area of Malindi, a considered tourist haven for Italians did extremely well with top VIPs jetting in to holiday there.

Ikwaye said the visit to the touristic town by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who was guest of regular visitor and former Formula One boss, Silvio Briatore, was a significant mark of acceptance for the Kenyan Coast.

At the same time, Ikwaye said the last festive season saw the emergence of other equally attractive destinations.

“We have new tourism circuits like Mt Kenya region, Lake Victoria, the Rift Valley and the Western Kenya regions becoming popular,’’ the KAHC official said.

Tamarind Hotel Mombasa General Manager Victor Shitaka said his hotel recorded 70 per cent occupancy with majority of the guests being families.