Local tourists boost hotels over festive season

Cecilia Nguwuu (2nd left) of Jawambe Hotel leads local tourists to view a picture of a ship at the Hotel. [Omondi Onyango/Standard]

Domestic tourism continued to provide a lifeline for most hotels at the Coast over the festive season with over 60 per cent of all occupancy taken up by locals.

A spot check by Weekend Business revealed that family groups dominated hotel guests with visitors arriving mostly from Nairobi and other interior regions.

Majority of visitors said they had made the trip to the Coast using the Madaraka Express train.

At the Voyager Beach Hotel, Group Operations Manager Wasike Wasike said they were fully booked all the way to New Year.

“Our robust marketing campaigns coupled with exemplary service delivery is endearing many repeat guests to savour the Voyager experience,” he said.

The veteran hotelier with close to three decades experience said over 60 per cent of their guests were families.

Plaza Beach Hotel General Manager Denis Gwaro said they had seen an increase in number of locals guests and those from the larger East African Community.