Friday, September 29

Hospitality

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  • Kentucky Fried Chicken, alias KFC, has suffered a potato shortage at its outlets in Kenya
  • The company said there had been delays in the delivery of potatoes from its overseas suppliers, forcing the company to put alternative food items on the menu in place of the French fries
  • These sentiments from the CEO on his reluctance to buy local potatoes got Kenyans angry

Fast-food restaurant chain Kentucky Fried Chicken, alias KFC, has suffered a potato shortage at its outlets in Kenya. There have been delays in the delivery of potatoes from its overseas suppliers, forcing the company to put alternative food items on the menu in place of the French fries.

The chief executive of KFC in East Africa, Jacques Theunissen, told Business Daily on January 3 that the shortage of fries, locally known as chips, has been caused by a mishap in the global supply of potatoes.

Jacques said …

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  • The region had drawn a number of important lessons from the pandemic especially in relation to the economic sectors that were hard hit such as tourism
  • EAC citizens should be charged local rates while entering public tourist sites such as national parks and reserves that are distributed across the region
  • EAC Partner States should also diversify their tourism products by developing other products

East African Community Partner States lost 92% of revenues in the tourism sector due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with arrivals to the region falling from 6.98 million arrivals before the pandemic to 2.25 million arrivals occasioning the losses.

EAC Secretary General Hon. (Dr.) Peter Mathuki however noted that the region was now open again for business, and urged EAC Partner States governments and other stakeholders to work together to market the region’s tourist attractions and products as part of efforts to ensure speedy recovery for the sector.…

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There has been growth in searches and bookings to East African Community countries with Tanzania leading as a leisure destination.

This is according to data by the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) and Amadeus search and agency booking which shows a very slight improvement in both outbound and inbound search demand and booking volumes for 2021 year to date, while compared to the same period in 2020.

The booking agency indicates that travel demand remains significantly below pre-COVID-19 levels owing to international travel restrictions in key markets in Europe, North America and Asia.

According to KATA, there has been a growing demand for inbound travel into Kenya from USA, Germany and UK.

“Domestic travel searches remain high as people are looking to travel more within the country. However, overall travel demand to and from Kenya stands at -69.9% in June 2021 compared to same time in 2019,” the travel …

Wildebeest-curve (ANgama) - The Exchange

Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Najib Balala, has urged Kenyans to take advantage of the reduced park entry fees and visit national parks and reserves to enjoy Kenya’s rich heritage.

He, at the same time, urged international visitors, to also take advantage of the resumption of international flights to Kenya, to come and experience the magical wonders that this country has to offer.

Balala, however, reminded all visitors going to the parks to strictly observe the country’s Ministry of Health protocols of wearing face masks, keeping social distance, washing hands and sanitizing regularly, in order to keep CORONA virus at bay.

He also called on those visiting the parks to be disciplined and keep distance from the animals, so as not to endanger their lives, while in the game parks.

The Cabinet Secretary said this today, when he launched the annual Elephant naming ceremony at Amboseli National Park, …

Malindi Yolanda Tavales

The Planhotel Malindi resort of hotel trio – Diamonds Dream of Africa, Sandies Malindi Dream Garden and Sandies Tropical Village have reopened to both domestic and international guests from Saturday, 1 August.

According to a statement from the hotel chain, the current occupancy started at 60% at the weekend.

The General Manager Mr Alexander Zissimatos, says that the re-opening has been received very positively.

“We hope it continues for the rest of the year”, he said.

Tourism and hospitality has been hardly hit by the global pandemic- Covid-19 forcing some hotels to temporarily shut down as measures to contain the pandemic were laid out. As a member of Small Luxury Hotel of the World (SLH), Diamonds Dream of Africa is incorporating the Stay Safe. Stay Small initiative, offering enhanced health and detailed safety guidelines launched by SLH for all 520 member hotels in 90 countries.

“Diamond Resort Malindi has prepared …

As hotels in East Africa are closing their doors as the effects of the global pandemic continue to bite, Tanzania is making moves to ward off the negative effects of Covid-19 by resuming business as usual, including in its tourism and hospitality sector.

In fact only this past week, Tanzania has announced that it will host its first Mafia Island Tourism Exhibition Week. The ambitious and bold move is in line with other measures that the country is taking to revive its tourism sector.

The country has already set aside millions of dollars to improve tourists experience at one of its major attractions, Mt Kilimanjaro. Tanzania has set aside money to cut out a new route to climb the mountain. This new route is exclusive for VIP tourists and other VIP personnel and is expect to boost tourism in the region.

Also Read: Tanzania’s Tourism Board unveils luxury route to

One of Kenya’s luxurious hotel in Nairobi, The Fairmont Norfolk has closed indefinitely and fired all its employees.

Management has attributed to firing to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the business.

The Country Manager Mehdi Morad in a Memo dated May 27, said that due to the uncertainty Covid-19 pandemic, the firm has been forced to terminate employee contracts and close their properties at the Norfolk and Fairmont Mara Safari Cub.

“It is therefore the decision of the management to terminate the Services of all its employees due to “frustration” by way of mutual separation and taking into account the loyalty and dedication the employees have put into the success of our company in the previous years,” the Memo reads.

The staff will receive their termination letters by June 5, 2020.

This is not a first in the industry since the coronavirus outbreak. Other hotels that have shut down …

THE EXCHANGE sat down with the CEO of Johari Rotana Hotel, Mr. Joerg Potreck to discuss about the hospitality industry in Tanzania and what the future holds for Johari Rotana.

 Briefly tell us about the history of Rotana Hotels?

We are a hotel management company from the United Arab Emirates  founded in 1992 by Nasser Al Nowais and Selim El Zyr. Operating as Rotana, we opened our first property, the Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi in 1993 and today we are one of the leading hotel management company within the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey with a portfolio of over 100 properties in 26 cities.

Rotana combines a unique understanding of the culture and communities of the Middle East with the collective expertise of an executive team contributing to years of international experience in the service industry.

 What sets apart Johari Rotana from other world class hotels in Tanzania?

Serena Hotels to roll out mobile booking app from US based INTELITY

Serena Hotels and Resort, a leading global hospitality brands with prominence in East Africa has partnered with a Forbes feted travel-tech company INTELITY to launch a mobile app to promote easy bookings.

The upscale hospitality brand, best known for its unique collection of luxury hotels, resorts, and safari lodges within East Africa, Mozambique, and Asia, will partner with INTELITY to build a custom, richly branded mobile experience for their guests.

Serena Hotels’ new brand app will enable guests to book and manage reservations, check-in (and out), and download a mobile room key directly to their smartphone. Additionally, the app will support service requests, mobile dining orders, messaging with staff, and local and property information, while easy access to amenities will simplify the booking process for spa, dining, and tours. From an operations perspective, INTELITY’s staff-facing dashboard collects and streamlines workflows, tracks all activity, and offers real-time operational insights with built-in …