insight hotelier

1I N S I G H T H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E

HOSPITALITY RESOURCE MAGAZINE ISSUE 01 2013

2 I N S I G H T H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E


08 10 14 16 18Hospitality

IT solutionsPreventing

the Unexpected

Designing a commercial

Kitchen

KitchenDesign

Solutions

The Ideal Hotel

Kitchen

Contents

© 2013 Insight hotelier. All material is strictly copyright and all rights were reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without the written permission of Insight hotelier is strictly forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine at the time of going to press, but we accept no responsibility for omissions or errors.The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Insight hotelier or Retail Interchange Centre.

Special Projects EditorRitah Mutuku

Design & Layoutovakast

Publisher & AdvertiserInsight Retail East Africa

ContributorsJosphine KaishaJeannette MusembiSudhir Shah

Retail Interchange Centre LtdP.O. Box 36106 City Square 00200 Nairobi, KenyaTel: +254 725 350 690 / 0735 350 690email: [email protected]. insightretails.com

Rajesh YadavEdwin MwaiLilian Kalela


Message fromProject DirectorDear Reader,It gives me pleasure to introduce to you the maiden issue of Insight Hotelier Magazine, a quarterly publication for the hospitality industry in Kenya.

The publication provides the industry with various supplier links as well best practices on global trends for the mutual benefi t of industry stakeholders. The focus is on information sharing between the various industry stakeholders and suppliers while providing a regional platform where all (stakeholders) can showcase their products and services through the magazine.

The publication is distributed free of charge among the stakeholders- hotels, restaurants, pubs, fast food outlets and through partnered associations which draw its membership from the hospitality industry. The soft copy of the magazine is available online from the website link http://www.insightretails.com/magazines

We believe that the magazine will be useful to your organization in one way or the other to enable you strategize and grow your business in the coming years.

I would like to extend sincere gratitude to all those who through their tireless efforts have made the project a success; Retail Interchange Centre staff, consulting partners, Advertisers and Partnered Associations namely PERAK (Pubs, Entertainment, Restaurants Association of Kenya); MCTA (Mombasa and Coastal Tourism Association) and KAHC (Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers & Caterers) whose support has been enormous.

Finally, as we pursue to improve the publication henceforth, making it relevant to your needs, we will welcome feedback from the users and readers on [email protected] Keep reading!

Titus KorirProject Director.

6 I N S I G H T H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E6 I N S II G H T H OT ET EEEEH L I E RL I E RE R M A GG M A GG M A Z I NA Z I NIIA Z I N EEEEE

For most food and beverage (F&B) managers, the headache of minimizing costs of crockery breakages’ remains a challenge. Due to the crazy

traffi c often experienced at various hotels during the peak hours; breakfast and lunch time buffet, even the most careful service staff will hardly pay much attention to the crockery. Even as most hospitality professionals advise on proper handling of the crockery many are the hazards that the hotel crockery is exposed to.

These include scratching, chipping / dropping, breaking and degrading while in the dishwasher or the microwave and staining. To minimize such losses, there are factors that one should consider when procuring hotel crockery. As a food service professional, the F&B manager is best suited advice the procurement entity of the quality of the crockery to purchase.

Preventinghotel crockery breakage

Clique Limited is a one stop hospitality solution provider providing the hospitality industry with vast range and unique items. Our product line spans from crockery, cutlery, glassware, bed and bath linen, toiletries and kitchen accessories. The company has a large variety of high durable porcelain tea, dinner and buffet ware with over 200 unique items covering senior hotel, star-rated restaurant, Chinese restaurant, Western ware as well as coffee tableware.

The author, Sudhir Shah is the Director at Clique Limited with vast experience in the food service industry. He can be reached at [email protected], Mobile: 0720 638638, 020 554772; 020 557191

Break resistant crockery Once a sample of the crockery has been received from the supplier, put it in the dishwasher under normal washing circumstances and run for several cyclesPlace the item in the microwave and exceed the prescribed temperature by 10C - 30 C Use a sharp steak knife 40 times to scratch and test whether the sample is prone to scratchingDrop it on a wooden surface from a height of about 1.5M and inspect the behaviorKnock the edge of each plate against a granite slab to see if it would chip if dropped or knocked against a countertop Test for stain resistance by poured piping-hot tomato sauce onto each plate and allowed to sit for a minimum of eight hours.

While in the kitchenAvoid piling up of the crockery in the wash up as this could pose falling hazardsDo not mix crockery and cutlery in the wash up. This will aid in helping scratchingMake use of crockery racks to preventing scratching of plates against each other and to avoid breakageHave varieties of shapes of the crockery i.e. dinnerware can be different from lunch ware. For instance, one may decide to have square plates for dinner and the normal round plates for buffet lunch service. This will prevent overuse of the crockery and hence longer life spanThe “clean as you go rule” should be adhered to even the wash-up section.

Purchasing China ware Material: Research on what material it is made of. Buy a material that does not loose heat fast as this will help serve guests at the correct temperature.

Type of clientele: Different crockery is meant for different and unique type of clients. For instance, if you operate a Chinese restaurant, it will only be appropriate to buy food service items meant for Chinese food service. If the food establishment attracts different type of clientele, it is advisable to use more versatile service items.

Method of service: Table service crockery may differ with crockery meant for buffet service. When there is minimal traffi c in the food establishment, then there are fewer chances of hazards such as dropping the crockery thus weighty crockery could suffi ce.

Weight: It is a wrong assumption that heavy plates are of high quality when they are actually not as durable as their lightweight counterparts. In fact, heavier plates are more likely to be dropped. It is advisable to choose a weight that feels comfortable carrying considering the experience of the service staff.

Specifi c requirements: It may be tempting to buy full crockery set only to realize that you might be getting more than you really need. While large sets of dinnerware tend to offer a better value per piece, you should decide in advance whether you really need matching bowls or salad plates with matching tea ware.

Breakage: There exists no unbreakable Chinaware but break resistant even though over time there is a likelihood that some pieces are bound to break. It is advisable to work with trusted suppliers who most of the time will have the stocks you need for replenishing or consider having extra pieces in the pantry.


Intersol Kenya Ltd o ers a range of Inte e whiteboards from the worldwide leader, SMART Technologies. Whether you are looking to ract clients, inspire minds or wow an audience, Inte e whiteboards skip beyond standard presenta ons and mo e into inte on and support to facilitate collabora on.

In est in technology and get a real compe e ad ntage. The hospitality industry is embracing SMART Inte e Whiteboards to gi e businesses and training ins tu ons the equipment which many use at their home base.

HOW IS IT BENEFITING THIS SECTOR?

Most hotels o er conference and mee ng rooms. Installing SMART Inte e Whiteboards brings those facili into the 21st century. Using touch technology, SMART brings into a mee ng room a exible communica on tool that will enhance inte ity, collabora on and produc ty of the delegates. You can charge a premium for h ng our modern installa ons in your mee ng rooms.

SMART Technologies is both the industry pioneer and market leader in easy-to-use inte e whiteboards and other group collabora on tools. Using SMART products, groups can access and share the informa on they need to meet, teach, train and present, regardless of distance.

Intersol Kenya Ltd is the exclusi e SMART Technologies Authorized Reseller in Kenya.

Our products and se ices include:

We in te you to our demonstra on facili at our o ces in Viking House, Waiyaki Way, Westlands, Nairobi to see some equipment and discuss how we can help make marke ng your facili es easier.

SMART Business Solu ons

SMART Educa on Solu ons

Video Conferencing

Projectors and screens

Audio and Sound

Digital signage controllers and panels

Technical Support

Consul ng Se ices

Intersol Kenya Limited, PO Box 2323-00200, Nairobi, Kenya

First Floor, Viking House, Westlands Tel: 020 4450115/6/7, 0733 392233, 0722 633715

Email: [email protected]

SMART Technologies in the Hotel and Hospitality Industry

“Get ready to stop solving today’s

challenges with yesterday’s tools”


Unique hospitality IT solutions


When it comes to accidents, prevention is better than cure. Given that places such as hotel restaurants, guest rooms and pubs, electricity

is part and parcel of every day activities, it is extremely important to ensure that such public premises prevent unwanted fi res.

Even with the presence of The Fire Risk Reduction Rules 2007 gazetted on May 7, 2007 through Legal Notice No. 59 enumerating cautionary steps to be taken in mitigating the impacts of fi re, there are organizations that have continued to deliberately ignore fi re management which seems not to be a matter of priority despite it being the cause of loss of property and even lives.

Rudesh Gondalia, the managing director of Trojan notes that, many assume that protection against fi re is the duty of the government forgetting that in cases of a fi re breakout, the impact boils down to individual level.

With more than two decades of existence, Trojan is among a handful of reliable fi refi ghting companies in a fi eld with abut 250 players consistently endeavoring to provide superior quality services in fi re prevention and fi ghting ever since. Registered as a trainer with the Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety, the company is involved in the supply and maintenance of fi re prevention and protection equipment from reputable global brands and also handles major prevention and protection projects for some key clients in

Preventing the Unexpected Trojan Fire Security Limited


diverse range of fi elds.

In 2006, Trojan was appointed an agent of the revolutionary fi re extinguishing aerosol technology known as FirePro Aerosol. “This is an innovative product based on space technology thus guaranteeing total fi re security for sensitive areas such as computer rooms and servers, electrical transformers, generator and archive rooms among other costly and sensitive installation,” explains Mr. Gondalia.

He cautions that organizations large or small as well as households need to take care of themselves against fi re disasters. “Among the precautions include purchasing fi re equipment from competent service providers. A fi re extinguisher should be a priority as you never know when the fi re may strike,” he advises.

Author: Rudesh R. Gondalia, MD - Trojan Fire Security Ltd : info@trojanfi re.com

I N SI N SI N SI N SSSSSSS II NI N SSI N SSSSSNI NNI NNNNI NNI NI NNII NN SII NNNN SI NI NII NNNNN SNNNNN SII NNNNN SSN SNNI NNN SNNNN SN SNNN SN S G H T H OT E


How can your hotel become PA DSS compliant?

Hotels welcome hundreds of guests each year, storing their personal data and credit card information. But did you know this data accumulation makes

your hotel vulnerable to attacks from cyber criminals, and identity thieves?

A survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association found that around 50 percent of all payment card fraud and theft gets reported from the hospitality industry. This is because hotels store large amounts of data related to thousands of payment cards. A quick search online indicates that credit card theft is becoming increasingly common in East Africa as well, and cyber criminals are constantly widening their net to unsuspecting hotels.

How do you know if your hotel is vulnerable to hackers and data thieves?If your hotel property management system is not PA DSS

Making your property management system PA DSS compliant can be a highly technical, expensive and time consuming task. A better solution is to ask your software vendor to offer you a PA DSS compliant version of the software, or simply switch to PA DSS compliant software.

IDS NEXT is a hospitality technology company with a presence in 40 countries world-wide

About AuthorThe Author, Rajesh Yadav is Vice President, Sales or IDS NEXT in Africa. He can be reached [email protected] more information please visit http://idsnext.s

Is Your Hotel SoftwarePA DSS Compliant?

compliant, it is a sure indication that hackers and identity thieves may be able to hack into your computer systems and steal critical business and guest related data.

What is PA DSS Compliance?PA DSS or Payment Application Data Security Standard is a standard which prohibits an application like your property management system from storing critical fi nancial data such as magnetic stripe, CVV2, or PIN beyond a particular time. It also ensures that the temporary storage method is highly encrypted and tamper-proof.

Hotels that have their databases compromised through a data theft can face serious repercussions like being black-listed by card companies and face fi nancial liabilities as well. It is therefore imperative to ensure the property management system at your hotel is hacker proof.

To become PA DSS compliant, your hotel needs to, • Avoid retaining full magnetic stripe, card verifi cation code or value (CAV2, CID, CVC2, CVV2), or PIN block data• Protect cardholder data that you have stored• Provide secure authentication features• Log payment application activity • Develop secure payment applications • Protect wireless transmissions • Test payment applications to address vulnerabilities

• Facilitate secure network implementation • Cardholder data must never be stored on a server connected to the Internet • Facilitate secure remote access to payment application• Encrypt sensitive traffi c over public networks• Encrypt all non-console administrative access • Maintain instructional documentation and training programs for customers, resellers, and integrators

including East Africa. IDS NEXT recently launched FortuneNext 6i the PA DSS compliant version of their software.

A robust, comprehensive hotel ERP, FortuneNEXT 6i can be leveraged by hotels across market segments, including independent, chain, business and boutique hotels, resorts, and limited service apartments. The software is feature-rich; cost-effective compared to

its nearest competition, and most importantly, offers its users 24/7 technical support. So if your hotel is looking for PA DSS compliant software that protects your hotel and guest data, give us a call and we will be glad to partner you through.


INSYNC SOLUTIONS LIMITED.P. O. Box: 57359-00200, Nairobi, KENYAt: +254. 736.480.854e: [email protected]

emPowering the hospITality business

IDS NEXT Business Solutionst: +254 735 041 450e: [email protected]

Comprehensive, integrated, end-to-end

solution to empower full service

Hospitality Enterprises.

All-in-one integrated solution to

empower medium size Hospitality

Enterprises.

Developed for unique needs of

mid-size hotels and resorts.

Perfect Property Management System

for limited service hotels and motels.

FORTUNE NEXT 6i

ProfessionalFORTUNE N

Prof

FORTUNE NEXT 6i

Enterprise

NFORTUNE N

FORTUNE N

Ente

FORTUNE NEXT 6i

ExpressFORTUNEFORTUNE NN

Exp

FORTUNE NEXT 6i

GenieFORTUNEFORTUNE NN

Gen

25 years of Hospitality technology domain expertise.

3200 plus clients worldwide across market segments.

Clients include chain, independent and boutique hotels,

resorts, clubs & restaurants.

Presence in 40 countries.

PA DSS compliant software built on a robust platform.

24/7 Technical Support Centre.

Experience The Power Of ASmarter, Faster, StrongerHotel ERP

For more detail or free product demo call or email:

14 I N S I G H T H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E14 I N S I G H T H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E

Designing aCommercial

Kitchen

Restaurant owners,

managers and chefs

alike will appreciate

a conveniently designed

commercial kitchen. This is one

which will be energy-effi cient

and will increase restaurant

profi ts because of the decreased

need for laborers.


Before designing your commercial kitchen, developing a menu is important as it determines what equipment will be necessary in the kitchen space.

At the same time, commercial kitchens are held to higher standards than the average home kitchen with regard to safety and food regulations.

Generally, a well-planned kitchen should:

• Provide adequate storage for raw materials• Provide adequate space for food being prepared• Provide adequate space food awaiting service• Provide adequate storage for equipment, utensils, crockery and cutlery• Be effi cient and effective in terms of movement of staff, equipment, materials and waste• Provide an area for checking in stock.

Considerations Space: Regardless of whether one is building or renting in an existing building, making the most out of the available space is a priority.

A restaurant kitchen would benefi t from an assembly-line production where food is prepared and cooked down the line from start to fi nish. Space should be provided for:• Food preparation and service• Separation of raw food preparation from cooked food• Preparation and other ready-to-eat food preparation areas• Washing and sanitizing operations for utensils and equipment• Separation of food storage and handling areas from areas for chemical storage, toilets, waste storage, offi ce areas and other• Areas used for activities that could contaminate food or food preparation areas• It is recommended that hand basins should be located at the staff entrances to areas where food is handled.

Flooring Flooring is an important aspect of commercial kitchen design. Floors should be durable and easy to clean while employees should fi nd them safe and comfortable. Both ceramic tile and concrete are easily cleaned with a mop

each day, and the materials hold up to the high traffi c and abuse in a busy kitchen. Slip-resistant paint additives may be applied to paint on concrete to minimize the risk of slips and falls.

Lay rubber fl ooring to increase comfort and safety. Install safety mats over areas where cooks will be standing for long periods of time and in places where spills are likely. Rubber fl ooring adds another degree of safety in accident-prone areas and also reduces impact on feet and joints of workers.

Equipment The amount of equipment should be factored in when determining how much space a kitchen will require. Consider the essential equipment fi rst that is items the kitchen absolutely must have in order to run. These Items include ovens, stovetop ranges, refrigerators and one or more multiple-compartment sinks. Consider placement for nonessential equipment last. These include storage racks, knife blocks and spice racks.

At the same time, cleanliness is a primary concern each day thus selecting equipment with casters or items that easily can be moved around for deep cleaning of areas under and behind them. Ease of movement when it comes to equipment will make it more likely for the hidden areas to get attention.


The kitchen is the hub of any home, restaurant or hotel. Insight Hotelier spoke to Archie

Athanasius, Executive Chef, The Boma Hotels on how hotel kitchens ought to be planned with a thoughtful, meticulous approach for smooth fl ow of work. A lot of life happens in the kitchen; it is the heart of a home, restaurant or a hotel.

A good workfl ow in a kitchen means that materials and staff will move smoothly from the stores through food preparation and serving and off to the guests’ tables. However, many a user of the restaurant and hotel kitchen observes that kitchen planning is a rarity and a scientifi c plan of the area to facilitate smooth fl ow is hard to come by.

Chef Archie explains that the following are some of the elements that defi ne the essentials of an institutional kitchen:

First, no amount of space can be enough if proper planning is not implemented. This is the reason why he recommends that all hotel investors should include a chef in their decision making stage with the kitchen design consultants. “We are the fi nal users thus some ideas would be implemented best if chefs are incorporated at this stage,” he explains. To minimize any delays, ideally, receiving, storage, preparation and cooking areas should be on the same fl oor as the hotel restaurant.

Refrigerators prevent bacterial growth and prolong the shelf life of perishable foods thus an important aspect of the hotel as all food must be properly stored for both good taste and proper safety. Depending on the size of the kitchen, a commercial refrigeration system may chillers, vegetable coolers and freezers. Chef Archie points out that, chillers are best for storing cakes, pastries and ice-cream. The vegetable coolers are for storing salads while the freezers come in handy for the meats. He points out that

separating pastries and vegetables is advisable.

Knives, chopping boards, dicers, peelers, turning knives, blenders amongst other kitchen smalls should preferably be of high quality, stainless steel with no crevices to make cleaning easy. Chef Archie insists that all kitchen staff should be trained on the use of the right equipment for a particular job. Depending on the size of the hotel and target clientele, another important aspect in the planning of a kitchen has to do with the cooking equipment among them mixers, ovens and boilers.

Generally, factors such as durability and effi ciency should be considered to enable the hotel produce the much expected and desired food while minimizing on losses at the production level. The Chef notes that ensuring that a hotel gets the right quality of mixers especially for the pastries is a plus. He advises that suppliers of the equipment should include training manuals and enter into service contracts for such equipment.

When it comes to exhaust and ventilation; the saying ‘More perspiration than inspiration’ is useful here. A stuffy kitchen not only spoils the attention span and mood of the chefs and their assistants, but also ultimately results in damaging kitchen equipment. Chef Archie insists that the air conditioning (AC) system should be functioning at all times as the windows though vital,

food safety standards require that they should not be opened due to dust and insects.

Fluorescent light fi xtures are advisable for their effi ciency and cool operating temperatures. Correct lighting ensures more focused light on food preparation areas as the color and appearance of food, even as it is being cooked, reveals a lot to the chef. Chef Archie explains that the poor or uneven lighting can result in mistakes that can only prove costly.

Sanitation and safety No kitchen can run without a regular and ample supply of water - both for cooking and cleaning purposes thus hot and cold water are needed. There should be equipment that helps prevent water wastage, as the cost of wasted water can be prohibitive in the long run.

With heavy fl ow of wastewater, oil, food, grease and peel, the drainage system is susceptible to clogging. A good drainage system of pipes and outlets with traps is a must to ensure regular and uninterrupted cleaning. On the other hand, the waste fl ow removal should be a hygienic affair. All sorts of bacteria and pests develop rapidly in the drains. Covered drains eliminate the risk of pollution and bad hygiene.

Any kitchen is prone to hazards of fi re. Safety and fi re-fi ghting systems need to be in place to tackle the fi re in the event of one. Chef Archie notes that space allocation should be done in such a manner that no activity or operation hinders fi re safety tasks and extinguishing operations. Fire exits also need to be planned. At the same time, sanity in the kitchen should be aimed at 100 percent these include having tripled-sinks; one for washing, rinsing and sanitizing. “These sinks are different from the hand-wash sinks,” he adds.

Lastly, the choice of fuel depends on the hotel location but most of them opt for gas or electricity as they are widely available, and a combination of both is wise.

The Ideal Hotel Kitchen- Archie Athanasius, Executive Chef, The Boma Hotels

“hotel investors should include a chef intheir decision makingstage with the kitchendesign consultants”

Archie - Executive Chef


Are you aservice provider

for the Hospitality Industry?

Get connected to theHospitality industry now….

Our magazine reaches out to the Hospitality industrydirectly and indirectly using partners associations such as

Contact [email protected] ; [email protected]

+254. 735 (725) -350 690 www.insightretails.com/magazines


Choose overhead lighting that will illuminate all parts of the room, including walk-in coolers and

freezers. Install hood fans over the stoves and fryers and invest in a system that will ventilate the entire room. In addition, invest in a whole-room ventilation system, and put hood fans over cooking areas.

On the other hand, energy effi ciency should be a primary consideration for any commercial kitchen layout, because it saves money on utility costs. In an energy-effi cient setup, refrigeration and cooking equipment are kept as far apart as possible while still being practical. Also, cooking equipment is strategically placed to maximize the effi ciency of the exhaust hood.

KITCHENVENTILATION

&LIGHTINGThe design of any commercial kitchen must allow provision for escape. Provision must be made for safe routes out of the building in case of fi re or other emergencies. It is important to ensure that these exits remain unobstructed and that the escape route is easy to pass through.

Lastly, every kitchen is different, determining what one’s priorities are, and choosing a design that will accommodate them and works well with the expected menu is all that matters otherwise one might end up having to make costly renovations to the kitchen layout.


OnlinemarketingIts relevance tothe hotel industryBy Jeannette Musembi

We are in a digital world where consumers are able to connect and interact with various and favourite brands whenever

and wherever thanks to a multitude of devices. On the other hand, to reach the consumers, an effective target based online marketing strategy which is cost-effective and able to generate sales is vital.

The hospitality industry covers a wide range of establishments providing services in the form of accommodation, food and beverage, entertainment and tourism. The industry has evolved from just being viewed from a local perspective to a global one; so large that it is worth over 3.5 trillion Dollars.

Online marketing has increasingly become important and all the thought leaders in Internet marketing are pushing to have it embraced almost everywhere. Literally, the shift is not only in the production of tangible goods but also the manipulation of information.

The use of the Internet in the business world has become a major trend. Eat Out Kenya - an online restaurant booking guide for instance, allows consumers to search for restaurants based on various aspects such as geographic area location, type of cuisine and price range. Users have access to comprehensive restaurant information coupled with pictures, 360 degree virtual tours, maps, menus, and customer reviews in order for them to make table reservations online using the online and mobile booking systems.

22 I N S INNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN G H T H THHHHH TTTTHH THHHHH TTHHH TTHHHHHHH THH TTTH THHH TTH H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E

23I N S I G H T H OT E L I E R M A G A Z I N E 22222223232323232322223232322222222222322223232223222232222222222233232222I NNI NNNNI NNN SS IS INI NNNI S III NI N GGG HHHH THH TTT TTT G H OTH OH OOT EET E LLLLLL IL IL I EII EI E RI E RI EI EEI EEEEE REEE RE RRRRRLL IL I EEE RELLLLL II EI E REE RRRLLLL III EEL E RLLL I E RRLLL IIII E RE RE RI E RRLLLL I EE RRL E REE RLLLL RRRLLLL I EE RRRL R M A M AA GGGA GG M A G M A G M G M G M M M M A GA GA GA GA GG M M A GG M A G M M M M AAAAA GA GGG M AM M M AAAM AA GGM AAA M MMM AAAA AAAAAAAA ZA ZZZZA ZA ZA ZZ IZ I NA Z I NAAAAAA ZA ZZ I NAAAAA ZZZAAAAAAA ZA ZAAAAAAA Z I NAAAAAAAA ZAAAA ZZAAAAAAA ZZZ NAAAAAAA ZZZZ NZAA ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ I N EEEEEEEE

This is because thousands of restaurant goers are off late planning for their breakfast, lunch or dinner outings/dates by exploring different online options, whether it is via their desktop computers, tablets, or smart phones. Thanks to the high speed Internet solutions currently present in the market, the region continues to witness an increase in digital marketing spends.

Eat Out’s sister company, Sleep Out, also uses the same model and have both embraced social media strategies contributing to the success of the two.

Relevance of Internet Marketing

The Internet provides a lot of free exchanging of information. E-Commerce has allowed small companies to have a better web presentation for their products/services. On the other hand, online customers can access and enjoy a wider range of products and services at competitive prices while others have been able to acquire preferred services from service providers located far away.

The Internet has given consumers a chance to be better prepared to purchase the right product/service at the right time through the easy on-line information gathering and convenient online shopping.The second role of the Internet in the hospitality industry has been the ability to conduct online bookings. Manual reservations and bookings have been transformed to online bookings via the Central Reservation Systems (CRS).

The reason for the popularity of E-booking has been because of its ability to offer benefi ts to all parties; the supplier and customer. Companies develop the sharing model in which they have more online control of their services thereby providing higher priority to their own websites. On the other hand, to the consumer, he is able to make direct online bookings at real-time saving time regardless of the time difference.

As a marketing tool, the Internet allows companies to reach out to more customers by using the search engine optimization (SEO), a tool that helps increase the traffi c and page ranking in search engine results. The other Internet marketing strategy for the industry is electronic customer

relationship management (eCRM), which are activities to manage customer relationships by using the Internet and web browsers. eCRM helps the hospitality industry, specifi cally hotels; know more about their online visitors and their bookings. It also helps hotels differentiate their clientele; identify their spending behaviour to targeting them with the appropriate marketing messages such as discounts and promotions.

Finally, other than the hospitality industry, the role of the Internet is found in all sectors. For instance, traditionally, companies would advertise for recruitment vacancies in the print media however as more have moved into the Internet world and developed their own websites, job openings are usually posted there under the career section.

The Internet has signifi cantly changed the way hospitality businesses operate and it is commendable to note how the industry has greatly taken advantage of it.


The Pubs, Entertainment & Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK) is a non-political organization representing members who run and manage restaurants, pubs and entertainment venues.

Operating within the legal framework of Kenya, PERAK aims at fostering an ethical environment for the entertainment industry while uplifting the industry standards by seeking solutions to challenges affecting the hospitality and entertainment sector, creating a forum for interaction between the government and our industry, advocating social responsibility through community service, encouraging communication among our members with the objective of developing ideals and sharing legal advice while at the same time creating an atmosphere of trust between PERAK and the public at large.

While ensuring that it brings together the operators with a view of resolving common industry problems, PERAK has developed a code of conduct for its members and help them comply with various regulations governing the hospitality industry.

The Association targets to be one of the most progressive in the hospitality and entertainment business by offering a united front to its members, cost effective services and ensuring that its public image is characterized by professionalism and integrity. PERAK’s vision as per its founders’ vision remains that of making the local hospitality industry globally competitive and viable for all stakeholders including tourists; local and international, shareholders, employees, local communities, suppliers and the government.

PERAK boasts of a huge membership of mostly pubs, restaurants and other industry players in the entertainment industry which include water sports parks, theme parks, nightclubs and cinemas/theatres. The Association continues to spread its wings in all the country’s regions. PERAK is also affi liated to The Kenya Association of Hotel-Keepers and caterers (KAHC) and has representation on the Kenya Tourism Federation board (KTF) as well as Mombasa and Coast Tourism Association (MCTA) in its capacity as a signifi cant tourism stakeholder.

PERAK’s day to day activities are run by a secretariat while the overall governing is done by a board of elected Executive Committee and a board of trustees.

The following is a summary of PERAK’s activities;

1. Representation -The Association is the principal voice for entertainment players to the government and other agencies on matters of regulations, licensing and policy.

2. Information exchange - The Association acts as the principal information exchange network for members and the industry by conducting research, maintaining industry’s data bank and dissemination of information.

3. Training- The Association coordinates with The Kenya Utalii College on training and development programs and is in talks with more colleges to offer training services to reach a wider spectrum. The trainings are funded through The Tourism Fund formerly known as the Catering and Tourism Development Levy Trustees (CTDLT).

4. A common brand- Membership to the Association gives individual pubs, restaurants and other entertainment players an invaluable stamp of recognition, sense of belonging to an important and reputable organization in the hospitality fraternity. The principles of Engagement, Evaluation and Recognition constitute key guidelines for our membership, while establishing Rating, Certifi cation and Standards crucial to recognizing contributors and movers of the industry.

5.Advocacy/Lobbying- PERAK has been actively and successfully involved in lobbying against The Alcoholic Drinks Amendment Bill 2012, restructuring of VAT/Catering levy to change taxation regimes, liaising with National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse NACADA with regards to noise pollution and The Alcohol law amongst others issues respectively.

6.Marketing- PERAK has a very interactive website that it uses as a tool to market for potential membership with complete links to its member’s websites and the interactive social media pages. The Association holds quarterly luncheons and events for its members.

7. Services- PERAK offers legal exchange, staff referencing, and staff selection for those who need, to all different professional vacancies from its pool of qualifi ed candidates. For non-members these services are charged at a minimal fee.

PERAK’s headquarters are located in Nairobi, along Chania Avenue off Menelik Road, Taranaki Court.For more information log on www.perakkenya.co.ke or contact the marketing department through the cellphone number: 0722 77 32 38

PERAK Representing pubs, entertainment joints and restaurants


Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association (MCTA) is the second oldest tourism

association in Kenya which started in 1948 as a Mombasa branch of East African Tourist Travel Association (EATTA) covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika and Zanzibar. Later, in 1962, EATTA folded up paving way for the establishment of MCTA, coast region tourism umbrella body whose mandate is to foster and improve tourism within the entire region.

In light of the importance of the tourism sector in the economic life of the coast, MCTA’s mission is that of uniting all tourism business stakeholders to build a responsible and sustainable industry via a common development plan under one code of conduct and ethics. MCTA has an agreed Code of Practice.

Based on a broad geographical spread, MCTA membership includes Hotels, Tour Operators, Restaurants, Car Hire Companies, Leisure and Entertainment Centres, Commercial Banks, Insurance businesses, Air Charters fi rms, Airlines, learning Institutions, Travel Agents, Tourist Attractions Centers, Arts and Handicraft Centers among others. Known for its strong advocacy (lobbying), MCTA has however witnessed reduced membership and revenues owing to the recent years of tourism downturn. The association is working on a strategy to attract more members and provide added services.

The mandate of MCTA comes as objectives spelt out in its constitution as follows:

• Fostering and maintaining tourist traffi c, safeguarding the interest of tourists, encouraging the improvement and development of the tourist industry and the allied services within the area

identifi ed as the entire Kenya Coast• Acquiring, collating, distributing and advertising through the available means of circulation, information with regard to the attraction, resources, statistics, facilities, cultural amenities and services

• Preparing, printing, publishing and acquiring any literature-documents, brochure maps, postcards and any written audio or visual material as may be of interest to travelers and distribute by sale or otherwise

• Acquiring funds by grants, donation, subscription or otherwise in furtherance of the objectives and invest any monies not immediately required for use as may be determined from time to time. To borrow or raise money with or without security as may have been agreed upon

• Take all the necessary steps that are advisable and feasible for the improvement of the tourist attraction and conditions of travel purchase annexation, undertaking a license, by gift or otherwise within the mentioned periphery.

Become an MCTA member There are three classes of membership and three different annual subscriptions. Business class | Annual subscription (not fi xed)

A business shall be any person, partnership or body incorporated and recognized as a trading enterprise under the laws of Kenya that has a direct or indirect interest in any segment of tourism in Kenya or elsewhere. The annual subscription will be less for small businesses and will depend on annual sales. The largest Business members always pay less than Associations and the smaller concerns pay the least.Tourism Institution | Annual subscription KShs. 30,000

A tourism institution shall be any Association, foundation, trust, society, or recognized body incorporated under the laws of Kenya that has, as its prime, or secondary aim, the development, improvement and/or sustainability of a tourism product, service or information that represents member interests at local, regional or national level. Corporate sponsor | Annual subscription KShs. 60,000

A corporation shall be any private or public company, NGO, government body, or large scale trading enterprise, domiciled in any part of the world that has an interest in fi nancially sponsoring MCTA.

MCTA is proud to partner with the maiden issue of Insight Hotelier Magazine in its quest to promote the tourism establishments at the Kenyan Coast and in the country at large. The publication seeks to connect the industry to the supplier by showcasing the various solution providers. This is against a background where the industry lacks such a forum addressing various marketplace suppliers, industry stakeholders under one platform.

MCTA, unitingCoast Region Tourism Stakeholders

Mombasa & Coast Tourist Association, P.O. Box 99574-80107, Mombasa.Cell: 0724696500.


Yearly subscription @ Ksh: 2,280.00 + VAT

for 4 consecutive issues.

Get your copy delivered to your door step by subscribing for the magazine

Magazines Annual Reports Catalogues Newsletters Flyers Brochures Posters Wall, Table and Shipping calendars Note Pads Desk Diaries Book printing Labels.

For high quality and maximum efficiency in all kinds of commercial printing...

Precision at its best... . . .

Our second and third Impressions are as good as the fi rst

Colourprint Ltd.

Year after Year“Producing New Impressions of Excellence”

[email protected] | www.colourprint.co.ke

P. O. Box 44466 - 00100 - GPO, Nairobi, Kenya. Tel: 2101740 / 2101741 / 2101742

insight hotelier

Documents

i e rl

n e3i n s i g h t h

g h t h ot et eeeeh

n eeeeefor

niia z

various industry stakeholders

hospitality industry

stakeholders hotels