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LEISURE: With more vibrant economies, enhanced digital capacity and growing middle class, Africa is poised to attract more tourism flows and investment…
By Ali Mphaki
It takes guts, or what some might describe as an overblown sense of self-esteem, to label yourself a Don of anything, let alone when you operate in what is supposed to be a soft beat – the leisure and tourism industry.
Unlike in the Mafia world, however, the title “Don” has over the years evolved and in contemporary Urban-speak has come to connote “someone who has an important influence in someone else’s life”.
It could also mean “brilliant, genius, and adorable”, according to Tweeter-speak. This is how Fabian “The Don” Mutinda, the CEO of the Kenyanbased tourism company, D’Coce Seasoned Trips, and subsidiary UPSTA, an exclusive luxury vacational rentals accomodations entity introduces himself to his clients and all those who come near his magnetic personality. Make no mistake, the self-affirmation and proclaimed honour is no idle talk. The brother is kicking ass, as the Yankees would say. A mere five years in the tourism and leisure industry, Mutinda subscribes to the notion that “action without philosophy is blunt”.
He is also not blind to the fact that “philosophy without action is sterile”, which is why he already has three YouTube channels which includes the only online African tourism TV – FABZ TV – under his belt.
His approach to his chosen career is that Africa is the future of world tourism. He adds:”I think the future of tourism in Africa is bright. Africa is rising with more vibrant economies, enhanced digital capacity and a growing middle class. we are poised to attract more tourism flows and investment in the 21st Century,” he says.
“The Don” or “Fab” as Mutinda is sometimes known, concedes that the hard lockdown of the past two years had a devastating effect on the tourism industry in general. But if every dark cloud has a silver lining, The Don says the pandemic forced them to redesign their business model and become more innovative. “We saw some opportunities emerging in the digital space hence we came with our YouTube channels and more online indeas like creating an on-line for our affiliated brands UPSTA and FABZ TV,” he says.
Bringing a smile on his face, however, is that normalcy is returning and things are beginning to shape up what with the Easter holidays coming up.
“We have managed to secure a couple of bookings for packages around Kenya and outside the country,” he beams. Estimates say the years 2020 and 2021 saw tourism arrivals drop to approximately 500,000 and 800,000 respectively.
2022 saw a huge improvement in tourism arrivals of approximately 1.5 million and there is optimism that 2023 will be the year that brings international tourism arrivals back to the pre-pandemic levels the country saw in 2018 and 2019. the Kenya Tourism Board and the Ministry of Tourism has urther set aside Sh2 billion to support the renovation of tourist hotels and the restructuring of business operations.
Mutinda prides himself of his east-African country Kenya, Jamhuri ya Kenya (Swahili), reputed for its beach tourism, eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and sports tourism. In fact, the name Kenya is almost synonymous with the word “safari”. Arguably, few other places on the planet conjure such a spirit of adventure and romance.
Topographically, Kenya is stunning. Surrounded by calderas and mountain ranges, the Great Rift Valley divides the country. To the east of this sweeping valley, you can climb the peaks of Mount Kenya and fish for trout in crystal-clear streams. Hell’s Gate National Park harbors obsidian caves, and hisses with natural geysers and hot springs.
“See throngs of wildebeest thundering across the savanna during the Great Migration in the Maasai Mara; come eye-to-eye with elephants in Amboseli; or marvel at Lake Nakuru, flecked with thousands of flamingos. In these sun-soaked lands, ancient tribes, such as the Maasai, Kikuyu, and Samburu, retain their traditional customs, living in relative harmony with the natural world”, so reads a tourism brochure.
Mutinda says what makes D’COCE well-placed to showcase all the beauty of his country is what he terms the “holy trinity” of a succesful tourism company – reliability, uniqueness, and quality of service.
An added plus is that the company is family-owned, as as Mutinda adds “ we do everything without sub-contracting”. When it comes to intra-Africa travel, in particular between South Africa and Kenya, Mutinda says so far there haven’t had a considerable number of Mzansi people visiting Kenya.
He believes that with more advertising and marketing the trend will change, especially since both countries now have visa free agreements. Mutinda has an educational background in international relations and marketing strategy, as well as a Masters in International tourism, hospitality and events management. The D’COCE group offers a wide range of adventures, from safari to beach, from hiking to honeymoon and hidden gems.
It currently covers over 109 countries in six continents, plus over 320 “magical” destinations in Kenya.
Published on the 92nd Edition.
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