The National Museums of Kenya (NMK) and CityBlue Hotels have joined forces in a groundbreaking partnership aimed at boosting tourism and cultural appreciation in Kenya. This collaboration, announced on Monday, June 24, 2024, promises exciting opportunities for sponsorship, joint branding, and collaborative marketing efforts.
The partnership signifies a shared commitment to promoting Kenya’s rich cultural and natural heritage. The National Museums of Kenya, established under the Museums and Heritage Act of 2006, plays a pivotal role in acquiring, conserving, researching, documenting, and exhibiting Kenya’s historical and contemporary cultural and natural assets. This initiative aims to deepen the understanding, admiration, and sustainable management of these resources, benefiting both Kenya and the global community.
CityBlue Hotels, a rapidly expanding local hotel chain in Africa, operates across Kenya in major cities including Mombasa, Nairobi, and Lamu, with plans to expand further. Their presence extends to Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Ghana, encompassing over twenty hotels in South Africa and Mozambique.
Professor Mary Gikungu, Director General of the NMK, emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “This arrangement is a step for NMK to engage with the private sector with a group that is established, growing, dynamic and cares, like we do, for the welfare of mankind and the conservation of the biological diversity of the East African region and that of the entire planet. The story of NMK and our cultural heritage will be enhanced by this collaboration”.
Jameel Verjee, Founder & CEO of CityBlue Hotels, echoed this sentiment at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum 2024, stating, “NMK manages many Regional Museums, Sites and Monuments of national and international importance alongside priceless collections of Kenya’s living cultural and natural heritage. As an institution that must respond to the growing needs of the society, NMK is striving to contribute in a unique way to the task of national development and we cannot wait to be a partner of NMK on this journey”.
The collaboration between NMK and CityBlue Hotels promises a fruitful partnership that will enhance Kenya’s tourism offerings while fostering greater appreciation for the nation’s cultural heritage. This joint venture is poised to contribute significantly to Kenya’s economic and cultural development, solidifying its position as a leading destination in East Africa.
