A three Star hotel in Malindi has embarked on a Sh50 million upgrading and renovation programme of their facility for conference tourism. Sai Eden Roc Hotel, which is currently under new management, is fully booked by corporate organisations and NGOs institutions for seminars and conferences.

The hotel has recently hosted many conferences on peace organised by NGOs after the recent Tana Delta killings that left more than 120 people dead. The hotel, which is one of the oldest in the resort town, is famous for its serene beaches and location that have proved popular with senior government officials and high profile personalities visiting the resort town.

General manager David Lang'at said the hotel's accommodation and conference facilities are being renovated and upgraded to attract more business. He said a new conference centre with a capacity for 1,500 guests near the beach is being built in addition to the existing five.

"The hotel was completely run down when we took it over. The room structures were old type and we had to change it into the tile system and set up air conditioning as opposed to the window system," he said.

Lang'at said the restaurant and kitchen are under renovation besides the landscaping. "We also set up new lighting system all over the pathways for guests to walk freely at night. The sports facilities including two football pitches and one volleyball pitch, a fully equipped gym and spa are ready" he said. Sales and marketing executive Christine Gichuhi said the hotel will focus on domestic tourism because it has potential for growth.