This archive report was first published on 27 December 2019.
December holidays brought a surge in domestic and international tourists to Mombasa and other coastal areas, resulting in 100 percent bookings for hotels and tourist establishments.
According to a spot check by the Kenya News Agency on Thursday, most hotels and apartments were fully booked, with local visitors taking the lion's share.
Events such as water sports, football, camel riding, family dinners, traditional dances, and live bands were organized by hotels to entertain holidaymakers.
Apart from hotels, other tourist-related businesses such as transport, food vendors, and beach operators are enjoying good business during this festive season.
Those interviewed were delighted that Kenyans have now embraced domestic tourism, with the numbers of local visitors increasing significantly.
One of the major attractions during the holiday season was the refurbished Mama Ngina Drive Waterfront, a joint venture between the national government and the county government of Mombasa.
The Sh460 million waterfront facility has elicited excitement within the tourism sector and is now regarded as a game changer.
Hoteliers have expressed their satisfaction with the significant increase of domestic visitors, which they attributed to aggressive marketing, friendly packages, and the introduction of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR).
Marketing Manager of Travelers Beach Hotel and Club Wafula Waswa said the players in the hospitality industry were encouraged to see Kenyans embracing domestic tourism.
"We have introduced special packages for Kenyans to encourage them to enjoy affordable holiday retreats," said Waswa.
He added that players in the hospitality industry should put more effort towards the promotion of domestic tourism, which he said has kept most hotels afloat following the decline of international visitors.
