This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On July 10, 2020, the Kenyan government announced the resumption of international flights at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), a move that has been welcomed by hoteliers and transport providers based at the airport.
Five-star hotels such as Four Points by Sheraton are expecting a surge in business, with the hotel's general manager, Vivek Mathur, stating that they have digitized client-hotel transactions and redesigned their sitting areas to conform to social distancing regulations.
Mathur added that the hotel has been staying afloat by offering services to cabin crew of cargo airlines and special flights ferrying returnees, and is now targeting domestic tourists and air passengers transiting to other countries.
Transport provider Pride Drive general manager Imtiaz Harunani also expressed optimism, stating that investors in the airport-to-hotel transfer business are eyeing higher demand, as more travellers will seek to use vehicles that can guarantee safety from the virus.
With the resumption of flights, Hemingways Hotels has also reopened its two facilities in Nairobi and Mombasa after re-arranging its dining area and training its entire staff on hygiene and sanitation.
