The Kenyan coast has to be completely reimagined before it can again become a bustling tourism destination, according to members of the industry. Some even suggest knocking down some of the larger hotels in favour of smaller boutique properties.

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, charter flights brought in high volumes of tourists to Kenya’s coast, but these have dried up, with hotel occupancies averaging at between 5% and 20% compared with between 50% and 70% during previous peak periods.

While the decline in tourism has largely resulted from security concerns, members of the trade have also suggested that the ‘mass tourism’ of the 70s has changed. The desires of travellers have changed and Kenya’s coast needs to be redeveloped to meet these.

Nigel Vere Nicoll, Chief Executive of Atta, suggests that while there are a few exceptions, many of the hotels along the coast are run down. He also says that the destination needs to be rethought as opposed to simply patched up. For example, he suggests that the coast is in need of smaller more boutique properties. Moreover, many of the larger hotels were built for an era that is gone.

Likewise, David Stogdale, MD Great Plains in East Africa, and Max Cheli, Director of Medina Palms, suggest the coast needs to be relooked at. Cheli says “cheap and cheerful” tourism is in decline. Today’s travellers are more informed and discerning and their expectations have risen, compared with 10 or 15 years ago. He also suggests a need for smaller boutique properties and advocates for low-impact tourism with a focus on yield over demand. However, he emphasises that there is a place for all market segments.

Stogdale points out that in the 1970s, when he ran a 140-bed coastal property, there were roughly 7 000 beds on the coast. Now there are roughly 56 000. Moreover, while there were restrictions preventing hotels being built higher than the average height of the palm trees, this is no longer the case. He also suggests that the development was possibly too fast and wasn’t matched by marketing.

The best way forward may be to start over, says Stogdale. For example, he says in Spain the government sponsored knocking down of many of the larger hotels in favour of smaller properties. In the case of Spain, grants were given to the owners to build new properties. “I believe that’s the way we should be thinking.”

According to Stogdale, the Kenya Tourism Board, government and a third party should set up funding to finance redeveloping the coast. He emphasises that it can’t be left to hoteliers alone and suggests the industry should have a think tank to plot the way forward.

All stakeholders agree that Kenya has a compelling beach offering. Vere Nicoll points out that Diani has one of the longest stretches of beach.

KTB Acting CEO, Jacinta Nzioka, says next year the Kenyan government will offer hotel owners loans to refurbish their establishment to international standards. “We are concerned that some hotels at the Kenyan coast are in bad shape and to mitigate the challenges the government is set to establish a Ksh10 billion (€89.7m) Hotel Refurbishment Fund.” She adds that only hotels that have not been renovated for many years will qualify for the loans.

The tourism board is also ramping up its marketing efforts to revive coastal tourism. Nzioka, said the marketing agency was spending Ksh100 million (roughly $1 million) promotion campaigns in Poland, the Czech Republic and Ukraine.

How do you think tourism to Kenya’s coast can be improved? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

By Tessa Reed and Mathias Ringa