As a young man in school, I used to see a certain fellow who was always smartly dressed whenever he visited his family back home.
Upon enquiry, I was told he worked at a Nairobi hotel though nobody could tell me where. Deep within me, I wanted to be like him, if only to be as smartly dressed as he was. From then on, being in the hotel industry was the first and last thing on my mind.
But you didn’t join the hotel industry after completing school. What happened?
Though I had qualified for university, I did not. Instead, I joined the teaching profession as an untrained teacher between 1989 and 1990.
My father was then working in the military and wanted me to pursue a career in teaching.
He felt that this offered many opportunities to climb up the ladder. He tried hard to get me to Kagumo Teachers College to no avail. One day, or so he thought, I would make it to be a school principal or a provincial director of education, the highest level in the profession. Back then, teaching was a noble profession.
A teacher was viewed with utmost respect within the community. The salary was also quite good. I was earning Sh1,440 an amount that could allow me to enjoy life! Still, the idea of working in the hotel industry was never far off.
What did you do next?
In 1991, I applied for a course at Utalii College, Nairobi. When the results of the intake were released, I had not made the cut, much to my disappointment. But I never gave up. The following year, I applied again.
This time I secured a place at the college. It was here that I cultivated most of the qualities that still define me today. We had a high regard for discipline. What some may consider a small matter such as lateness was not tolerated. It was here that I also got to use the computer for the first time. For reasons I still cannot comprehend, I really feared those machines.
Tell us of your first job experience at a hotel...
After leaving Utalii, I was posted to Amboseli Serena Lodge. Unlike the case today, there were jobs waiting for college leavers then. I worked in the front office, as a cleaner and a butler. Having to start from the lowest level was a good experience.
How has this experience helped you manage top brands in the industry?
I had an eight year stint at Serena, three years at Safari Park and currently on my seventh year with Sarova, having previously managed Lion Hill Lodge in Nakuru. This experience has given me unparalleled knowledge in managing our greatest asset — the human resource.
Having started from the lowest level in the industry, I can tell you the thinking behind any action by a member of staff. A person’s attitude comes out by the way he or she acts and a good manager is one who can spot such a mindset on the outset.
How have the recent terrorist activities affected the industry?
Of course they have a negative impact as far as our source markets for tourists are concerned. Some people may fear travelling to Kenya due to what may be termed as insecurity. A number of my friends from overseas have called me endlessly in the last few weeks, wanting to know the country’s security status after the Westgate terror attack.
However, our industry has been resilient in the face of such tragedies in the past. Currently, most hotels in the city have recorded good business despite such scares. As you know, terrorism does not only affect visitors from abroad. You and I are also affected since we have to keep looking over our shoulders whenever we visit public places.
You are also the chairperson of Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers, Nairobi branch. What can be done to encourage locals to occupy our hotels that they perceive to be patronised by foreigners?
You will be surprised to learn that most of our occupancy now comes from Kenyans. We are having a growing middle class that wants to tour the country and enjoy the facilities strewn across the nation.
It is this generation that will change the face of tourism in Kenya. Gone are the days when we relied heavily on the so called traditional markets comprising of Western countries. These are currently facing a lot of financial troubles.
On the other hand, the government needs to provide more incentives to locals who wish to tour the country. For example, the government can remove tax on local carriers during the holiday season. On the other hand, the hotels too can subsidise some services to encourage more Kenyans to visit top hotels. Again, such measures need to be taken on a short term basis so as not to hurt the industry.
The country seems to be looking East for business. Is this the case in the tourism industry?
As mentioned, Western countries have been facing an economic recession lately. This has affected the holiday traveller. On the other hand, the Eastern bloc, including China, has seen some economic boom. Most foreign visitors to Kenya will in the near future come from this region. It is a question of diversifying our source market while improving our local amenities.
Last word...
If you are a manager, learn to empower those working under you. Let them prove themselves. They must feel appreciated. As much as you might be a hands-on person, employees are happy when they take the initiative to solve issues that arise on a day to day basis. Were it not for those who saw my potential from an early stage, I may not have made much progress in this industry.