Sunbird in K1.2bn room renovations at Nkopola
Sunbird Tourism plc, a Malawi Stock Exchange (MSE)-listed hotel chain, says it has invested about K1.2 billion in the renovation and refurbishment of 55 rooms at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi.
In an interview during a familiarisation tour of bookers and tour operators on Saturday at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge, Sunbird group sales and marketing manager Temwa Kanjadza said the investment is part of their product improvement plan.
She said the hotel chain values customers’ needs in an industry that is becoming competitive and offering new products and services; hence, engaging in such initiatives.
“As a brand, we have been on the market for so long and we felt that initiatives in line with our product improvement as well as the feedback we are getting from our customers are really important to work on.
“So, we have done a host of initiatives here at our Nkopola unit to make sure that the experience is suited with the guest experience and also customer expectation,” said Kanjadza.
Sunbird has also invested in product improvements such as new boardrooms, Malindi bar, gym and watersports activities.
Besides that, Kanjadza said Sunbird has been working on some of its units, among others, renovations and upgrading of rooms at Sunbird Lilongwe, working on new conference facilities at Sunbird Mount Soche in Blantyre to be unveiled in October, construction of a heated pool at Sunbird Ku Chawe in Zomba and unveiling of new rooms at Sunbird Livingstonia Beach in Salima last year.
One of the tour operators, McDonald Ganisyeje from Land Lakes Safaris, said they expect quality services as per their clients’ base wish.
He said: “We expect good services, quality of rooms up to international standards and safety of the environment as well as accessibility and a variety of water sports activities.”
Sunbird has nine properties, namely Sunbird Lilongwe, Sunbird Capital, Sunbird Mount Soche, Sunbird Mzuzu, Sunbird Nkopola, Sunbird Livingstonia, Sunbird Ku Chawe, Sunbird Thawale inside Majete Wildlife Reserve in Chikwawa and Sunbird Kara O Mula in Mulanje.
