I am Mohammed Hersi. A hotelier who is passionate about Tourism & Governance in Africa. It is my pleasure to welcome you to my blog.

#WhyILoveKenya

To My fellow Kenyans allow me to share some insight that many of us would not notice .

A tourist is not only that guest who is choosing to stay at some fancy 5 or 4 star rated hotel or resort. Anyone who leaves their normal aboard and pays for accommodation in another town qualifies to be a tourist. Many of us are tourists by default.

 

We have many International guests who choose to stay at various budget Bed & Breakfast in Nairobi and Mombasa including homes now that we have AirBnB.

I chose to do a quick glance at two Mombasa budget hotels . These are outfits that will cost you less than $25 some even $20. They attract International guests and they are happy to stay there. Majority are students on gap year while others are seeking experiential Tourism and keen to mingle with the locals.

To these budget hotels , please be nice to all these young people staying with you . If they are happy they are the best brand Ambassdors and they’ll in turn encourage their parents to visit Kenya who will happily stay in that 4 or 5 star property.

One more thing they ought to be safe , if anything happened to them it will be a Belgian , British , Australian tourist and they remain a subject of those countries . They will NOT be classified as that Australian or Japanese in a budget hotel. Help us avoid unnecessary travel advisories.

To my tourism colleagues it is in our best interests that we embrace and positively influence these budget hotels because majority host future tourists to our 4 or 5 star hotel and resorts besides these young people truly experience the real Kenya .

To the owners of these small hotels you now all pay catering levy whivh means you are entitled to free training by Kenya Utalii College during their annual refresher courses that run between April & June. Please be on the look out and get as many of your staff to attend . It makes a huge difference to have skilled staff.

To CS Balala and our Tourism ministry we must help these budget outfits to get more professional and for them to truly understand and appreciate that they are a key cog in the wheels of tourism trade.

It is totally wrong for anyone to say we don’t want ” cheap ” tourists . Well even in leading cities around the world you can still get a B&B for under $25. It is NOT a Kenyan thing besides it’s a free market hence every hotel or resort has its own target market.

My fellow Kenyans when you see that group of young back packers at the SGR or aboard a bus to Mombasa or to Western Kenya please note you have just made contact with a future high end tourist and for now a brand Ambassdor for Kenya if treated well.

As always I choose to remain an optimist

Mohammed Hersi
Chairman Kenya Tourism Federation & Group CEO Sun Africa Hotels

This is meant for all those corrupt people in our country.

Science has proven that irrespective of how much you own you can never improve the quality of life beyond a certain point.

Reality is that you can only sleep in one house, sleep in one bed , drive only one car at a time , you can only holiday so much , your kids can only attend one school at a time and the list can go on.

I am NOT against wealth , by all means make your genuine wealth . The ” wealth ” you make from stealing from the public is nothing but poison in your wallet or account. Don’t look too far when you realise that things are not working out in your family . You can compromise an already compromised authorities but there is one Almight God that you cannot compromise. The punishment comes in form of Karma and Karma they say has no deadline . When your only daughter or son ends up in not nice places then know that karma is paying you back in kind.

Fact: Guys who’ve made their money through genuine business are all too happy to give it back to society. Talk of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet et al. Genuine wealthy people lead very simple lives. Majority who flaunt their wealth especially in Africa are not clean. Many would hide their loot in some secret accounts in off shore places. The loot hidden out there is so much that many loose track of it and end up as unclaimed funds. Tragedy is that the same poor folks back home who stole from would be asked to contribute via Mpesa upon their demise.

How on earth do you enjoy sleep when you steal funds meant for ARV’s or medicine for public hospitals , how ??

Folks the world and let me say Kenya has enough for our needs but not enough for our GREED. Allow me to echo the words of Mahatma Ghandi.

I wish you all a pleasant week ahead and as always I choose to remain an optimist. Evil will NOT prevail for ever.

Mohammed Hersi

Ethiopian has just a announced 10 new destination in six months . This is good stuff and I am very happy for our northern neighbour Ethiopia. I am sure many of us will be quick to condemn KQ. Please don’t.

KQ is now in safe pair of hands, so what next?

Big up to our govermrnet for coming to help KQ after a decade of bad governance. If our national carrier KQ is to do well then more support is needed at Operational level and they MUST be treated as the favourite airline at our JKIA hub. If you study Ethiopian , they’ve done well no doubt but the amount of support they get in a virtually closed aviation industry in Ethiopia cannot be compared to KQ. Aviation business is cut throat . I am afraid KQ does not seem to enjoy such preferential treatment. If we add the operational hiccups at our main hub then it just takes way the only major edge they would have had over the competition.

KQ team is more than ready to launch new routes that make commercial sense but they will need full support to acquire new planes.

KQ has been in clean up mode and addressing it’s huge debt portfolio which has now been sorted out. Next is to help them acquire new planes for new routes and also regain its lost market share on the African continent .

The constant litigation and never ending CBA wars is something that has constantly distracted our national carrier. Labour issues is something that never bedevil Ethiopian. We may be more capitalistic in nature but many a times we go overboard to the point of self cannibalizing.

KQ has done very well in the past and I believe we can do it again more so when someone like Michael Joseph is at the helm as chair and Sebastian as the CEO.

Basic support at JKIA must be there if we ever expect them to match Ethiopian. KQ despite all the challenges they fly in the largest number of visitors to Kenya. It is in our best interest that we have a working airline .

Please note I am NOT taking anything away from Ethiopian . They have done really well for themselves.

As always I choose to remain an optimist

Mohammed Hersi
Chairman
Kenya Tourism Federation.

It is all common knowledge that our southern neighbour TZ has not failed to show disdain for Kenya . They are our biggest trading partner and in my opinion that has really got into their heads but again the gap is closing and is closing pretty first . TZ is more committed to SADC and they feel more South African. Let’s not pretend that it is all loving and kiss kiss. Their current leadership has not helped matters.

Now what about this 👇👇👇

Get on board Ethiopia our northern neighbour who is very keen and respects Kenya. They value our relationship. Then extend an invite to Somalia which is rebuilding . There are very many opportunities there. While we sacrifice lives to keep Somalia safe , Turkey is busy picking the cherries in rebuilding Somalia. Extend an invite to DRC. Huge country with loads of minerals . Help them run a better country and they also speak a version of Kiswahili and we can relate easily. Extend another invite to Sudan , a big buyer of Kenyan tea and Bingo we have a new EAC minus TZ. Bringing on board Sudan may help stabilise South Sudan. Finally we will need a new capital for the new willing nations and Kisumu becomes the new Arusha . It is central and it becomes the capital of the great lakes region. They have really taken the benefits of providing EAC capital for granted. Serious food for thought .

An expanded EAC can then be renamed Eastern Africa Cooperating Countries akin to the GCC Gulf Cooperating Countries.

Living under fear of being divorced leads to an abusive relationship . We can then engage our neighbours as SADC.

As always I choose to remain an optimist

Mohammed Hersi

#WhyILoveKenya

Malindi Tourism Woes.

I am sure many of you have seen comments by Billionaire Flavio Briatore regarding the state of Tourism in Malindi . He even went ahead to describe Malindi as stinky not that Mombasa is any better , well nothing is further from the truth and that should worry Kilifi County , a county that is close to my heart as my better half comes from here.

My good friend HE Governor Kingi unveiled his new cabinet and they are all men and women of real substance. I have No doubt they have what it takes to turn around the fortunes of Kilifi through tourism. Majority are people who are known to me personally and we are on first name basis. Please let us clean the town and get the basics out of the way. I believe you can do that and I will not belabour on this.

So what ails Malindi ?

1. Malindi was overly dependet on one source market , The Italian market . When Italians for any reason avoid Malindi then both Malindi & Watamu got affected. It’s high time Malindi Watamu including Kilifi started to target other source markets. We have investors like Roberto Marini of Ocean Beach Resort who is key in Domestic & Regional market.

2. The collapse of Imperial bank and later Chase bank hammered the last nail on struggling Malindi tourism. The collapse of these two rogue banks played a major role to send Malindi’s Tourism to ICU. This is one silent fact that no one talks about , it is water under the bridge but it did huge damage of course coupled with the non essential travel advisory that last lasted close to 2 years.

Malindi was host to many retirees and pensioners from Italy who will spend entire winter October to April every year in this coastal town. With the attractive close to obscene interest rates many opted to deposit their life savings in these two banks and then live off interest little did they know that they were being fattened for slaughter. With no source of income many opted to fly back home.

These long stayers contributed heavily to the success of Malindi Watamus tourism and their departure is being felt to date.

3. The media constant reporting moreso between 2005 until recently Malindi as Mafia town. It is wrong to tag any place in such a negative manner. It is individuals who choose to be thugs and act Mafia not an entire destination. It is obvious that no investor will be keen to put his money in such a destination.

Iti s high time the narrative is changed and it is already changing and I urge our media to help Malindi do that.

4. Lack of easy acess to Malindi . Our national carrier pulled out of Malindi later on JamboJet their sister low cost carrier stepped in . They took long to stabilise and we hope tbey continue to grow the frequencies. I am happy to note the immediate impact of Silverstone Airlines and we look forward to an even better frequency.

One thing that Governor Kingi should do is sleep, dream and walk is constant push to get the Kilifi airport runway extended. I will urge Governor Kingi to push this agenda strongly. He may not agree with national goverment on matters politics but business cuts across both divide.

To national goverment you may have issues with both Malindi and even Mombasa counties but mandate of national goverment must be delivered . Do not drag your foot to get projects done due to such differences . If you can do a brand new big airport in Isiolo why do you find it such a hercules task to extend a simple runway to allow bigger aircrafts to land in Malindi. We have very many direct Italian charters all waiting. We even have Ethiopian airlines who are more than willing to fly direct to Malindi. Sort out the squatters mess and extend the runway . I remind national goverment that business cuts across the divide. If anything how do you reach out to an area that feel disenfranchised economically , it’s simple fix the gaps .

We have witnessed the same where national classified roads in the heart of Mombasa taking ages to get fixed. Digo Road is only receiving attention now after many months of neglect. Can you imagine leaving Uhuru Highway in Nbi with potholes Why would you allow that on Kenyatta Avenue Digo Road through to Nyerere to Likoni ferry . This is the mandate of National goverment , Mombasa is our 2nd city. Please give her it’s due status.

Way Forward .

1. My Dear Bro Governor Kingi get the team to get down to work . Malindi is small and manageable . Make it clean and envy of many . Let no investor run away because of garbage. Let Briatore’s comment fire you and your team to get things fixed. Before he departs show him what you plan to do. I know you are known to him personally . Flavio is the Italian version of Richard Branson . We need him on our side.

2. To national goverment we now demand the extension of Malindi Airport runway without any further delay. Why would a government take two decades to carry out such a basic task ?

3. To Kilifi County , Italians LOVE Malindi Watamu . Reach out to them . Welcome them back. Encourage the pensioners and retirees to come back . Malaysia has done it under their programme dubbed ” Malaysia My 2nd Home “. The pensioners will attract their grown up children and relatives to chose Malindi. Reach out to many other western countries even in the Scandinavia countries to choose Malindi Watamu.

Choosing to stay in a villa is a personal choice and criminalizing it we must stop. The constant raids by authorities should not be allowed. What we should be doing is to streamline and regulate the villas. Globally we now have AirBnb will the authorities criminalise that ?

4. To Tourism players, please wake up . Lamenting on low levels of business while choosing to do nothing you’ll not move an inch. Save for 2 or 3 hotels the rest make no efforts to attend fairs both local regional & International. Learn from Diani who go to regional fair as Destination Diani . National & County goverments will fix the enablers the rest is for you to walk the last mile.

Malindi Watamu , Kilifi and yes Vipingo are world class destination. The Destination maybe down but certainly not out.

As always I choose to remain an optimist and may Malindi rise again like the proverbial bird Phoenix.

Mohammed Hersi

Chairman

Kenya Tourism Federation

#WhyILoveKenya

5 Reasons Why CS Balala should continue as CS Tourism. I am writing this in my personal capacity as a Tourism player.

First Things First .

I don’t hold brief for Hon Balala and I am not expecting anything in return. I also know many of you believe that I am also fit to be CS Tourism . No doubt about that but we can only have one CS . Najib is the right man for the job . I am happy to continue to play my role in Private sector.

1. He is on first name basis with all the key world leading tour operators , locally great connection with tourism players. In September he was elected Chairman UNWTO Africa commission .This is building on existing blocks.

2 . Excellent contacts with all the Diplomatic circles. To be on first name basis with key Ambassdors at a personal level is not something you develop overnight. These things take time.

3. Excellent PR & Networking skills. As Tourism CS he has maintained fantastic relationship with Media Kenya and International press. Networking & PR is far deeper than just a photo opportunity . Our business is SHOWBIZ. If you expect a CS Tourism to avoid the media then you are mistaken.

4. He has delivered on key areas :

$Charter resumption to Msa.
$Open skies .
$lobbying for Visa on arrival , next is park fees for Africans to be reviewed downwards.
$Extra funding to KTB.
$Lobbied hard to get the notorious and punishing Non Essential travel advisories on Kenya Coast lifted. $Attends and lobbies at main expos and road shows promoting Kenya .
$Tourist arrivals are now quite close to 2007 figures. $Pushed hard to get the Cruiseship terminal underway. It is now 40% done just last week he made a plea for the work to be speeded up.
$Tembea Kenya campaign
$Halal Tourism promo as a new segment
$Helped to get the Vat on tours rescinded.

5. Passion for the industry . He has taken to the skies to Sky Dive. Hiked Mount Kenya to promote Mountaineering. Promoted Turkana as cradle of mankind .Next on his agenda is The Great Rift & Western Kenya

Simply put he is Plug & Play CS. Not someone who is coming to learn the ropes. Learning the ropes means wasting 3 years. We just don’t have that time .

Bottom line it is the prerogative of His Excellency The President but at least I have done my bit

As always I choose to remain an optimist

Mohammed Hersi

#WhyILoveKenya Secession talk due to alleged marginalization and mainly in Nyanza and Western Kenya. I am sure some candor will help. What will North Eastern, good Part of Ukambani say where even nature has marginalised them ?

If it is historical injustice no place has suffered like the 5 counties of Garisaa. Wajir. Mandera . Marsabit & Isiolo . I recall posting my own challanges growing up in Marsabit. I had the privilege to drive around the gulf in Lake Victoria which is mainly the 10% or so of our share of Lake Victoria. 6 permanent rivers flowing into the 2nd largest fresh water lake in the world. Come to North Eastern and Ukambani even good parts of Muranga where there are no rivers. Arid and semi arid . The road network as shown in the images are A1 and I will tell you for free go drive from Makutano via Muranga to Nyeri it’s terrible. I saw the best road network in Kisumu Siaya and Homa Bay , pictures don’t lie. North Eastern Garisaa to Mandera are now being promised but do you see them lament? They make the best entrepreneurs and hustlers.

The Mbita causeway that was blocking fish and water from the main Lake Victoria forcing our people to go fish in Uganda will now be a thing of the past . Thanks to the beautiful bridge and once again fish can easily breed in the gulf area.. Kisumu International Airport, tell me how many other counties have International airports.? The county fathers should be inviting investors to grow fruits and horticulture for export . Kisumu International airport is dead from 8pm when we should be exporting fresh produce as cargo. Well educated and warm people .

I spent 7 days with locals in Kisumu , Luanda K’otieno, Asembo Bay, Mbita , Rusinga all the way on Mfangano . Everyone I met was warm and nice to me . They only need to be shown direction and empower them . Opportunities galore in that region . Maybe you don’t appreciate what you got because you are used to it but I will tell you for free you have NOT been marginalised. It is all in the mind. You may not necessarily agree with me but it is only fair I tell you what gold mine you are sitting on. Kisumu alone has 35 banks represented out of the 42 banks in Kenya and over 25 Universities and colleges

This talk of secession is nothing but hot air , it is not a walk in the park to secede go ask Eritrea 35 years wait or even South Sudan 40 + years wait then a mess , Somaliland have been chasing for recognition 20+ years .

Please go make your counties work . We should be fighting for more funds to the counties but we must also stand up to confront the waste in the counties with the same energy we fight the national goverment.

Let us debate and As always I choose to remain an optimist Mohammed Hersi