Serena bets on refurbished wing to swing back profits
TPS East Africa owners of the Serena Hotels will open the refurbished wing of its Nairobi outlet this month hoping to capitalize on improving tourism numbers in the second half of the year.
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The hotel chain which is revamping its regional outlets also received a tax credit of Sh62 million up from Sh41 million last year.
The hotel Company Secretary Dominic Ng’ang’a said that the first phase of the redevelopment of the Nairobi Serena Hotel will be handed over this month and consequently the board is optimistic that the last quarter of 2018 will record improved performance following the completion of the ballroom, new restaurant, and executive lounge.
The chain of hotels has refurbished Kampala Serena and Dar es Salaam Serena last year which it says have contributed positively to the six-month results.
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The firm has also inked a contract for Serena Goma in Democratic Republic of Congo which will join the franchise next year.
Serena says additional Ethiopian Airline flights to Mombasa from July, resumption of Air France flights to Nairobi as well as direct flights between Nairobi and New York from October will boost regional tourism business going forward.
The firm has reported a Sh168 million after-tax loss an improvement from the Sh188 million loss in the six months to June last year.
Mr. Ng’ang’a said that given the seasonal nature of tourism the first years’ numbers should not necessarily be taken as a yardstick for the rest of the year.
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