Lamu is grappling with an incredible tourism boom. The archipelago north of the Kenyan coast, a paradise with a Middle Eastern flavor (as Gianna Nannini might have sung), has literally been targeted by international guests who have been overbooking accommodations and speeding up the construction of more bed and breakfasts and guest houses.
But in this August, it was not enough, and probably some people "mixed up" the various online booking services, such as Booking and Air Bnb, so much so that as many as 600 tourists, mostly foreigners, currently find themselves without a bed on the island or have had to find makeshift accommodations, with even private homeowners doing business hosting them. Others, however, as the Kenyans website reported, have been forced to sleep on the beach, posing risks to their safety and public order, but also to the good name of the resort, which has achieved international fame thanks to niche, cultural and wellness tourism.
Yesterday, a group of foreigners gathered in Lamu Town Square to protest, but addressing the media, Vincent Sidai, KPA's general manager for infrastructure development, revealed that the most affected hotels are those near Lamu Port, because in addition to leisure travelers, Lamu also has a good number of business men working in the construction sector, especially for the new Lappset Port, the terminal of a canal linking Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan, whose work began 10 years ago and has not yet been completed.
"I would like to appeal to the people of Lamu to seize these opportunities and build more hotels to meet the growing accommodation needs," urged Sidai.
Hospitality institutions advise booking through direct routes and well in advance, especially in view of the peak season starting in November, when the very popular and popular Lamu Festival is held.