NAIROBI, KENYA — The Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced a significant milestone in the Kenyan tourism sector, with over 33,000 enterprises nationwide successfully registered and licensed after meeting established quality benchmarks.
The TRA anticipates a continued upward trend in the number of businesses offering tourism-related services in the upcoming year, signaling sustained growth within the industry.
This information was shared during the annual meeting of the Heads of Housekeeping Association of Kenya (HHPA) held at a resort in Lake Naivasha, which drew participants from various counties across the nation.
According to Frederick Omondi, the Director of Standards and Quality Assurance at the TRA, the authority has developed a comprehensive framework of eighteen standards aimed at enhancing service quality within the tourism sector.
Mr. Omondi emphasized that these standards form the foundation for regulating tourism enterprises, ensuring the sector’s sustainable development and operation.
Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the HHPA meeting, Mr. Omondi expressed optimism about the trajectory of the tourism sector, acknowledging existing challenges and competition from neighboring countries. “We have seen a growing number of new entrants in terms of new restaurants, new hotels, new tour operators, new tour guides and even Airbnbs,” he noted.
He further stated that a nationwide accreditation exercise conducted by the authority had recognized numerous hospitality establishments with gold awards based on their superior quality performance.
“After the accreditation, we had a total of 303 gold awardees, 342 silver awardees and 346 bronze awardees and we are now prepared for the East Africa classification system,” Mr. Omondi announced.
Addressing existing challenges, he acknowledged a significant disconnect between hotel managers and investors, a matter the authority intends to address proactively.
The Chairman of HHPA, Antipas Nyambok, highlighted the issue of insufficient recognition for housekeepers by their employers, who often underestimate the critical role of housekeeping in the hotel business.
Mr. Nyambok pointed out that room occupancy, depending on the hotel’s structure, contributes significantly to overall hotel revenue, ranging from 60 to 80 percent.
“The housekeepers must be trained, supervised and they should be brought up to speed each and every moment as they are critical to hotel operations,” he asserted.
Dr. Darius Wambua, a medical practitioner, noted a positive trend of reduced Occupational Health and Safety cases within the hospitality industry, attributing it to increased awareness among workers.
“Psychosocial stresses among workers end up causing psychosomatic disorders and this impacts eventually on productivity and hence the need to create awareness,” Dr. Wambua explained.
Samuel Mungai, representing NEMKEM Company, a provider of hygiene solutions for the hospitality sector, processed foods, healthcare, and cleaning contracts, also shared his perspective.
“Business in the hospitality sector has improved since Covid-19 as Kenyans have accepted to travel and the hospitality industry is gaining more traction and more occupancy,” Mr. Mungai observed.
