Music and culture fuse as festivity season kicks off

With Nairobi city warming up to the festivity season, hospitality venues and entertainment establishments are on a high gear assembling packages to attract clients during the season.

Event organisers and entertainers are enjoying the windfall with bookings heating fever as the hospitality industry players entice with deals mostly aimed towards a holistic family packages. Indeed, for most, a compo of attracting local visitors and international tourists jetting into the country is being employed as the main approach towards making maximum returns out of the holiday season.

This is what was witnessed last weekend as tourism industry stakeholders, private sector leaders, the corporate fraternity and entertainment players converged at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi, to witness one of a kind festivity plans unveiling. It was a night of artistic displays, music bonanza and cultural amusements that saw hundreds sample a wide range of cultural cuisines as top class entertainers thrilled.

The glitz affair marked the first Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the city this year. Santa Claus was in with surprise gifts and Christmas carols rented the air, an atmosphere that swept in the mood for the season. On the cards was award-winning gospel supremo Daddy Owen – who is popular for hit such as Vanity, Follow, Aleleo, Kazi ya Msalaba – and co-gospel star Edith Wairimu – known for numbers like Nitasimama and Ûka Ngai. The duo is part of the package locked for the Christmas Day thrills at the venue commonly referred to as the African Paradise. Joined by the internationally renowned Safari Cats and Acrobats as well as the Pressmen Band, the two are no doubt hot sells this season with their popularity having grown after releasing new hits this year.

“I have quite a number of lucrative bookings starting Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve and I am here to tell my fans to expect the best of me this time round. I am glad to join the party as we celebrate the launch of the first Christmas tree lighting in town this year,” Daddy Owen said after an amazing brief stage show.

Also giving the entertainment spice was country music maestro Steve Rogers whose Mûciî nî Kenya, a rendition of Roger Whittaker’s all time classic My Land is Kenya has been outstanding. Safari Voices International Choir too was part of this great ensemble paraded as the entertainers set to lead tens of artistes during the Christmas and New Year extravaganza at the iconic city hotel.

From Japanese, Asian and Italian world-class cuisines to the Kenyan barbecue of mouthwatering Nyama Choma cuts and Mshikaki delicacies, food culture was on display to wet the guests’ appetite and show what Kenya has on its food menu.

“It has been a great hospitality year in Kenya and in particular to us business has been great. Kenya is known to be a major tourist attraction destination in Africa and with this prevailing conducive we expect this season to be good with full hotel accommodation bookings thanks to the unique packages we are offering. We are asking the government to keep the peace as you know the hospitality industry is fragile,” said Rev Samson Mwang’ang’i, the Safari Park assistant sales and marketing manager in-charge of the hotel’s UN missions clients in Kenya.

Mwang’ang’i said Nairobi is a great holiday destination and with hospitality establishments creating favourable packages and experiences for clients, the city is sure to retain local clients and attract foreigners during the festivity season.    

“The unique thing about a Kenyan Christmas is that you get both African Christmas carols and also English Christmas carols and as well get African rhythms and arrangements to accompany them. The season is a memorable time and this will be the place to be,” Kenneth Indiazi, the director Safari Voices International said.