In a bid to revamp the tourism sector at the Coast, investors in the resort town of Watamu Kilifi county are organizing a grand festival on October 8.
The main reason for it is to help revamp the tourism sector that has greatly dwindled, occasioned by the due to the Covid-19 pandemic and hard economic times in the last three years.
The 7-Islands Festival which will be held for the fourth time at Papa Remo beach resort in Watamu shall be graced by Nigerian Super Star Oxlade together with Kenya’s Sauti Soul Superstar Bien and other top Kenyan artists.
Organizers of the festival said they expect over 4,000 people to attend adding that the move is aimed at revamping the sector and attracting more tourism to the resort town that is known to be having the best white sandy beaches.
Already they said they are recording good bookings from both local and international tourists who are coming in for the holiday and expressed optimism that the tourism season will boom.
Ricardo Lenzi the head of the Seven islands Festival with his partner Francesco Contino said they have lined up lots of high-end entertainment for tourists who will be coming for the event.
Addressing journalists at the Papa Remo Beach Resort Lenzi said the festival will run from October 7 to 10 and target mainly domestic tourists to come and have fun on the scenic beach of Watamu.
“We want to do that festival because the tragedy struck three years ago because there was Covid-19 so we want to do something to attract the Kenyan people to come to the Coast,” he said.
Normally he said they have a beach party every Saturday night and many people love Papa Remo beach party which offers them a chance to rest.
On his part, Contino who is a co-partner of Lenzi in this year’s Seven Island Festival said they were proud to organize the event because this year it will be the biggest festival ever. in the Coast of Kenya.
He said the tourism sector has suffered for a long due to the Covid-19 pandemic which was stressful and people were at home for a long time.
Contino said it is the time to have a lot of fun, adding that the festival will start next weekend beginning October 7,8, and 9.
We shall have for the festival two big artists one of them is Oxlade an international singer and performer he already had a concert in Paris two weeks ago, now he is in Kenya and we shall be very proud to have him in Kenya,” he said.
Apart from Sauti Souls Bien, he said they would also be having one of the best Vagadips DJs who will perform on Sunday.
He said on Friday they would start with a portfolio of eight DJs including MGM, and Redbone among others all of which are from Kenya.
Contino said East African Breweries Limited is one of the sponsors who will be present over the weekend with their Tusker lite promotion.
Contino urged all those planning to attend the festival to book their tickets earlier.
“The Seven Islands festival is special because we are located on one of the best beach Papa Remo beach where you will dance on the sand in front of the Ocean which is an amazing area,” he said.
On Friday he said the tickets will be selling at Sh. 2,500, while on Saturday tickets will be selling at Sh.5,000.
However, he said whoever buys a ticket for Friday or Saturday shall have free entrance on Sunday adding that those who buy a ticket for Friday and Saturday shall pay only Sh.6,000.
Christina Marian the General Manager of Papa Remo who speaks fluent Swahili called on those revelers from Nairobi should visit Watamu to enjoy during the festival.
She said the festival is of help to revamp the tourism sector in the Coastal areas.
“When people come they will enjoy the view, and breeze the weather is cool and people are all welcome it’s nice,” she said.
