Italian billionaire Flavio Briatore has said he was not pulling out his investments in Malindi despite poor business environment that is discouraging tourism in the coast region.
Briatore, who owns multi-million Lion in the Sun and Billionaire Beach Resorts in Malindi, Kilifi County, however said he was devastated by the poor hygienic conditions and infrastructure of the resort town.
Speaking to the press at one of his beach resorts on Sunday, the investor said the stinky and filthy town and the poor condition of roads were some of the factors discouraging investors in the area.
“For the last seven years, I have not seen any improvement of potholed roads or clearing of garbage that has littered Malindi town and beach,” he said adding that “investors are now not interested in doing further investment here and they are preferring Nairobi.”
“Malindi is a darling town to many European tourists with a strong historical bond with Italy and hospitable people. The town was once named as the cleanest town in Africa,” he noted.
He also said the delayed expansion of Malindi Airport, which was underway, was one of key issues turning foreign investors away from the area.
Briatore, who had last month announced that he was selling one of his luxury beach resorts, Lion in the Sun due to low tourist numbers, said the hotel was still operational.
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“Although I will be forced to close down businesses if things do not change, but we hope tourism will pick and impact positively on Malindi’s economy,” he stated.
Lion in the Sun, located about 400 metres from Malindi Marine Park, first opened its doors in 2013 and has hosted international celebrities such as British supermodel Naomi Campbell and former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
The government is optimistic that the Ksh 5.6 billion expansion of the transport hub (Malindi Airport) and tarmacking of the 110-kilometre Malindi-Sala road linking the town to Tsavo East National Park would revive tourism in the region.
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