British Supermodel Naomi Campbell recently concluded her month holiday in Malindi one of the longest since she began visiting the resort town over 20 years ago.
This time as is the usual routine she stayed at the exclusive Lion in the Sun resort owned by her Ex Boyfriend Italian Billionaire Flavio Briatore.
Her long stay earned her an ambassadorial job for Magical Kenya after a meeting with Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala at the Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi.
The decision by Balala sparked mixed reactions in social media with some users including politicians criticizing the choice of appointing the British Super Model instead of Kenya’s own International Movie Star Lupita Nyongo or other popular celebrities in the country.
Nyong’o a daughter of Kisumu Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o also laughed off the statement by Balala who claimed the Ministry had looked for her for five years in vain through her managers.
For many, they may criticize the decision but for tourism stakeholders in Malindi where the supermodel has been visiting for the last two decades, the decision was timely and perfect.
Geoffery Waweru a resident of Malindi who does beauty and hair at Majengo area in Malindi one of those who closely interacted with the Supermodel several times and termed the decision of choosing Campbell as the Magical Kenya AMbasador as right.
Waweru of Jeff Saloon claims he first met the supermodel in 2017 briefly during her visit to Malindi after being connected to her by a friend to do her eyelashes.
That year their interaction was brief because she was in a hurry but since she came again in mid-December last year he has interacted with her over six times during her nails, hair and described her as an ambassador even before she was appointed.
We met Waweru at his saloon in Majengo attending to a foreign client had come for beauty services and from outside look seemed to be passionate about his job.
He says this time he has had close contact with Campbell as they talked and now know each other well.
Waweru says Campbell is a very busy person and there has to be an appointment booked prior to his visit to offer the services.
From his experience, he describes Naomi as nice and a person who loves Africa so much.
”Her heart is in Africa. Whenever she is making a call to friends most of the time she says I love Kenya, in fact, Naomi assist a children’s home in Malindi, she has a home for orphans so most of the time she wants to know how the children are fairing, she helps a lot,” she says.
He says apart from talking good about Africa she always tells her friends to visit Kenya, and Malindi in particular as the place is cool with good security.
Waweru says the aspect of always inviting friends to visit Malindi, Kenya, or Africa in itself is tourism promotion.
Maureen Awuor the chairperson of Kenya Hotel Keepers and caterers association chairperson in the North Coast says Campbell was the right choice because she has a huge following and shall influence many people to visit Kenya and which will benefit in form of tourism.
”They are saying that she is doing it pro bono without being paid as you know very well influencers are always very expensive,” she says.
Awuor who is the General Manager of Ocean beach resort and Spa says Lupita also did not talk much apart from expressing herself after the CS said they looked for her in vain for five years.
To her maybe nobody approached her in person and they could have tried to look for her through the managers.
The GM says no one knows who is speaking the truth because Lupita did not come out to speak that indeed they tried to reach her or not.
She says Lupita is Kenyan and if she wants to represent Kenya i9n the world she can as well do it and does not need to be appointed.
The Chairperson said the choice of Campbell was the best thing she could do because she is a frequent visitor for the resort town and with her, as the Magical Kenya Abassaodor the country stands to benefit.
She said the supermodel has always had visitors coming in through her influence and that’s why she was not forced to become an ambassador.
Awuor says soon the country will see the success of having Campbell as the Magical Kenya Ambassador as she is going to do it well.
She says even though Campbell applauded the government for their role in developing infrastructure there is a need for the state to speed up the expansion of the runway for Malindi International airport.
Awuor says the accessibility of Malindi has always been a problem because of the issue of the runway.
Currently, she says the government says it’s still in the process which is going on but it’s not clear when the process will be ready.
Late last year the parliamentary committee for transport and infrastructure was told Sh. 1 billion is required to compensate squatters who were already identified to pave way for the expansion of the runway.
The tourism players say they have learned from the pandemic and everyone now is improving their facilities.
She says the government is also giving money and urged the stakeholders to apply for the funds so as to benefit and upgrade their facilities for better tourism.