This archive report was first published on 6 July 2020.
As the Kenyan economy partially reopens, several tourist hotels, lodges, and town hotels have reopened with a focus on ensuring the safety of both staff and guests. The move comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a devastating impact on the tourism industry.
According to Serena Hotels Business Development manager, Ms. Pauline Mwangi, the company has re-opened their prized Sweetwaters Serena Camp located inside the world-famous Ol Pajeta conservancy in Laikipia County. The camp, which lies close to towering Mt Kenya, has been designed to ensure the well-being of guests and staff, providing them with the highest level of comfort and peace of mind.
Ms. Mwangi stated, 'We have followed the health safety operating standards and have started by opening Sweetwaters Camp.' The health and safety protocols have been designed to ensure the well-being of their guests and staff, providing them with the highest level of comfort and peace of mind.
Plaza Beach Hotel in Mombasa has also announced plans to open up in the second week of July. The hotel's General Manager, Denis Gwaro, said that they took advantage of the closure period to carry out room upgrades and replace hotel furniture. They are now banking on carrying out COVID-19 testing for all their staff and later to be followed by specialized training for their hotel workers during this post-COVID-19 era.
Mr. Gwaro added that the hotels that have relied on a mixed clientele group of both local and international are looking at aggressively tapping into the local market to sustain its operations. 'With the lockdown still in place and borders closed, we do not expect to receive international tourists. We have prepared well to handle local and regional tourists,' he said.
Other hotels in Mombasa, including Pride Inn Paradise Beach Resort Convention Centre and Spa, Flamingo By Pride Inn, Jocky Joka Apartments, and Voyager Beach Resort, have set July 15th, 2020 and August 1st, 2020 as opening dates.
