Malindi hoteliers offer special rates to attract customers
Hoteliers in Malindi are offering special rates as part of their strategies to attract more tourists. The rates apply to tourists who would wish to participate in monthly cleanup campaigns aimed at keeping the town clean and green.
A major cleanup event is planned for October this year.
Speaking in Malindi, Kenya Hotel Keepers and Caterers Association chair Maureen Awuor said most stakeholders are preparing for the event. Hoteliers have been offering special rates for travelers who would want to participate in the event, she said. "We want to plant mangrove trees and hope to be joined by domestic and international tourists as we keep our town green," she said.
Tourists who love nature, she said, will have an opportunity to fully participate.
Ms Awour, who is also the general manager at the Ocean Beach and Spa, said resorts are offering up to 40 percent discounts for lovers of nature who take part in the cleanup programme. Among the deals available are special rates for hotels, lodges and camps, air tickets and home management. She said hoteliers have embraced sustainable tourism by bringing together stakeholders through the cleanup events under the Progressive Welfare Association of Malindi.
She added: "A majority of the hotels are picking up and every day stakeholders are working to come up with more ways to fully revive their businesses."
The theme for the planned October cleanup is Malindi Eco-Fun Day and seeks to make tourists discover experiences and give back to nature. "Tourists will have a chance for the Malindi town tour, beach cleanup, planting mangroves along the Sabaki River estuary, family and friends fun games, and beach parties," she said.
Some of the hotels offering the special rates are Ocean Beach Resort and Spa, and Plan Resorts, which comprises Plan Dreams Garden, Sandies Tropical village, Dream of Africa, and the White Elephant Art Lodge. Catherine Muli, the CEO of Big Five Ventures, said hoteliers decided to do the cleanup campaign in a different way in the spirit of boosting the tourism sector after it was severely hurt by the pandemic.
"We have organised to have different hotels give back to the community through planting mangroves, cleaning beaches and villages, and also sensitising the community on the importance of hygiene and having a clean and green Malindi town," she said.
Alex Zissimato, the general manager of Plan Resorts Malindi, said the special offers will give hoteliers a chance to get visitors and boost their businesses. He added that tourist charter planes were scheduled to come from Poland but most clients are heading to the South Coast. "We are happy to be associated with the clean-up that will bring together tourists, and that is why we have come up with the special rates for all our visitors. We are expecting many people will come to Malindi," he said.
