Even hustlers can enjoy Christmas in Mombasa

 Mohammed Hersi, chairman of Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association and also the CEO of Heritage Group of Hotels

Veteran hotelier Mohamed Hersi, a passionate campaigner for domestic tourism, says Mombasa is ready to host ‘wabara’ for Christmas. He spoke to ISHAQ JUMBE about security, the perception that tourists bring in drugs and prostitution, and that mzungu hotels ‘hate’ Africans

Nairobians are notorious for driving to Mombasa and spending the entire holiday boozing. What would you suggest they do?

We are grateful whatever they choose to do because they chose Mombasa as their holiday destination! Apart from drinking, there are many activities they can engage in including diving snorkeling, excursions, game drives and many other activities that bond the family together.

They can go for a tour of old town, go see the reef in glass bottomed boats. There is so much they can do down here.

Reports have it that Mombasa hotels are fully booked ahead of the X-mas holiday. We now have many more hotels and serviced apartments all in good shape unlike in the past. This has increased competition. But the good news is that the last ten days have been quite busy and most of the hotels are going to register 80 per cent occupancy.

Our worry is January. Things get very tight and if were to achieve 30 to 60 per hotel occupancy, you are lucky! Then we have to start chasing conference business because international business has still not picked up.

Will Nairobians be safe in Mombasa? There is terrorism and County Commish Nelson Marwa ordered a crackdown against some gang recently... We may not have any major security issue right now and we want to remain optimistic that the worst is behind us.

What about the ferries? The ferries are a big challenge. We aren't laying blame on the management. There has not been a substantial investment in the ferries for a long time.

Some of the vessels are past their seaworthiness and have served beyond their time. The central government should treat the ferry like any trunk road. We allocate a hundred million per kilometer of tarmac road. And remember the ferry has no diversion unlike the road. Once there is a problem there is no driving around it.

The ferries offer no options. Unfortunately many policy makers do not use the ferry, otherwise it should be treated like an airport.

The general view among wabara (upcountry folks) is that coast is 'expensive'. How much would it cost an average family to holiday in Mombasa for one week? When is the best time of the year to holiday in Mombasa? Cost is relative. You can get Sh1,000 a night hotel. Boarding and lodgings are there as well. We have budget hotels that charge Sh3,000 - 5,000 a night. We also have luxury hotels at Sh20,000 or even 30,000.

It is all up to to you at the end of the day. Even when you visit the city of London there are places where you pay ten pounds whereas other places require for you to pay 400 pounds.

I would not say it is expensive though unfortunately, some people would like to access quality hotels at very low rates, which we try as much as possible to provide especially during the low season.

But then our business is dictated by demand and supply. When demand is high, we try to recoup our losses, which then cover our operating costs. Most of our hotels offer half board and full board whereas in places like Thailand, they may look cheaper by offering only bed and breakfast.

This means you have to fend for your lunch and dinner and drinks which may be more expensive in the long run than an all-inclusive full board where there will not be extras to pay.

How would you classify a good hotel? A good hotel will cost Sh15,000 to 20,000 a day. A family with Sh100,000 can get a good full board deal, which would only amount to the air ticket to Thailand and some of these other destinations.

Tourist class hotels have always been blamed for giving locals the cold shoulder in preference for whites because they tip. Locals also say hotel food sits in the stomach like a 'stone'! Your view? That is a myth that has been repeated over time and I would like to state that it is not true. Look, 90 per cent of our guests are locals and we need to take care of them. Discrimination is a crime even in the constitution. They are paying good money and we need to give them quality service. We have a zero tolerance policy against discrimination.

Najib Balala is back. How did the industry react to the news? That is good news! Balala is not new to the industry and we look forward to working with him. He has already hit the road running and we wish him all the best. We are ready to work with him anytime.

As a hotelier of long standing with a passion for boosting tourism, what issues should Balala address with urgency?

We have already discussed the key issues for us with him. These are support for charters, promotion of Kenya as a leading destination and increased funding for the Kenya Tourist Board. We would also like for him to address the issue of Open sky Policy,  park fees with his colleague in charge of wildlife. KWS charges 75 dollars in a place like Tsavo, making it inaccessible for tourists. Tourism also requires good infrastructure.

When insecurity soars, tourism in Mombasa suffers. What is your word of advice to Coastal leaders ahead of 2017? All sectors depend on peace. We in the tourism sector work very closely with leadership in the entire region. They understand the importance of maintaining the peace.

As Chairman of the Kenya Tourist Association, I maintain contact with all leadership in the region in my capacity as Chairman of The Kenya Tourist Association.

Tourism is blamed for fueling drug abuse abuse and homosexuality. Is this an accurate assessment? Even without tourism, our people still take drugs. Tourists do not bring the drugs. Prostitution is still ongoing with locals fuelling the industry without any help from tourists.

But then again mainstream tourism will come with its own vices, however, blaming immorality on tourists is escapist. 99 per cent of tourists coming to Mombasa are couples, they may not have the time to engage in immorality as they have their partners with them. Note that drugs were still available in Old Town Tourism was at its lowest.

If you go to a hotel in Europe, you will eat European food. Why don't we serve guests our indigenous foods and drinks? We have a Swahili breakfast at Voyager Hotel every Sunday and Thursday. This is a new concept that is becoming quite popular with many hotels embracing the concept of themed menus. The visitors love it. Even local tourists who may not be acquainted with Swahili cuisine are enjoying the mahamri amongst many other delicacies we serve.

Why is Egypt a top tourist destination yet we have more diversity?

We have beach and safari packages, some of the best in the world. We also have so much diversity. Egypt is just closer to Europe while we are a long haul destination. They also advertise more.