Fairmont Hotel Norfolk: Com 421: Final Project Part 1

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COM 421: FINAL PROJECT PART 1

Fairmont Hotel Norfolk 


Presented by:
Roberta Mbennah (18-0411)
Grace Musyimi (17-0714)

Submitted to:
Rose Mwangi

Of

Daystar University
Department of Communication
School of Communication, Languages and Performing Arts
9 November 2020
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FAIRMONT HOTEL NORFOLK

Introduction

Fairmont Hotel Norfolk is one of the several branches of Fairmont Hotels, which is

currently located in Nairobi. Just like many businesses in the hospitality industry, Hotel

Norfolk was severely negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Fredrick

Obura (2020) of Standard Media, the hotel sent out a retrenchment memo to all of its

employees, notifying them that they were ceasing their operations and making them
redundant due to lack of business. Fortunately enough for the employees the hotel withdrew

the retrenchment memo a few days later, as confirmed by Saada Hassan (2020). In addition to

this, Hotel Norfolk was sold to a new company- CG Hospitality Holdings. The hotel’s current

priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees (and future customers).  

Situation Analysis

Presently, the fear of COVID-19 has led people to avoid hotels and restaurants, hotels

including Fairmont Hotel Norfolk. However, as communities and countries work towards

controlling and eradicating the virus, businesses in the hospitality industry might have fresh

perspective of what to bear in mind while trying to meet consumer expectations. According

to Bogdan Ramashko (2020), the best post COVID-19 target market are millennials, the

generation of individuals who are most eager to get out more often during lockdown. Some of

the other things that hotels could focus more on in order to bounce back from the Coronavirus

pandemic would be more food deliveries, deep cleaning services, creating hand-free

experiences for tenants, open air exercise or leisure spaces, safeguarding hotel staff and most

fundamentally- focusing on guests’ health and wellness. 

Currently, Fairmont Hotel Norfolk offers a wide range of services that remain both

pleasurable and health-conscious, as these services still observe the precautions to avoid the

contraction and spread of Coronavirus. Some of these services and features (which contribute

to its strengths) include room service food delivery, intensive housekeeping, widespread hotel

rooms, private balconies and open-air fitness/leisure centres. In 2019, the hotel scored an

average rating of 4.5 stars out of 5, as rated by previous guests due to exceptional services

and charming staff. In addition to this, the hotel has a distinctive reputation as the first luxury

hotel in Kenya (which was built in 1904), thus being a historical site as much as it is an

accommodation area. 
However, as distinguished and wonderful Fairmont Hotel Norfolk is considered by

travellers, the hotel still has some weaknesses. First, the hotel is located right on the side of

the road. Although the hotel has high security measures and this location is convenient to

other tourist attractions in Nairobi, the hotel is located right near the Nairobi CBD, a busy

area where (if it wasn’t for lockdown) there are usually many people. Without social

distancing, this area can possibly be a high-risk area for contracting Coronavirus.

Second and even more importantly, the hotel’s purpose even in history was more

geared to cater to Western foreigners. Although the hotel carries some elements of European

history and is a beautiful attraction for these foreigners, the hotel does not do much to appeal

to Africans, especially Kenyans. Local tourists would love to travel and visit these beautiful

establishments like Fairmont but the rates and how they advertise themselves is in a way to

mostly attract the tourists, yet locals have so much to offer but aren’t really their preferred

audience. Indeed, this place is a historical site but over the years, it seems as though the hotel

benefited Western foreigners more than actual Kenyans- the ones whose land the hotel is

built upon, especially in colonial times. Thus, the hotel highlights some of the nicest

historical and cultural aspects of European culture based on history without giving Kenyans a

sense of pride in their own history. Hence, the hotel has not made much effort to include

Kenyans in some way. Though the hotel is designed to strongly attract Western foreigners, it

also fails to showcase and attract foreigners through some aspects of Kenyan culture- one of

the factors that motivate tourists to visit Kenya. 

Fortunately, the hotel has some great opportunities that it can seize as part of the plan

to bounce back by mid-2021. First, the hotel could focus more on appealing to domestic (and

other African travelers). This is because due to lockdown, there are too few to completely

none international travels that will bring foreigners to Kenya and therefore, to the hotel. Thus,

the hotel could do some renovations and make certain changes that will model some aspects
of Kenyan history and culture, so as to create a blended space that will cater to both domestic

and foreign travelers. Most importantly, the hotel will retain its current (positive) aspects of

European history and culture, while still ensuring representation and inclusion for Kenyans. 

Second, the hotel has the opportunity to boost its image through public relations and

going from once being the hotel that fired all of its employees, to the one that was ethical

enough to reverse this sacking and then finally, becoming the one hotel that truly prioritizes

the health, wellness and safety of both its employees and guests. 

Lastly, the hotel has an opportunity to appeal to millennials and just Kenyans in

general especially who are most eager to leave the house during this COVID-19 period, they

are looking to travel to new, exquisite locations for vacationing and just feeling the Kenyan

vibe. 

Communication Objectives

1. To show that Fairmont Hotel Norfolk values people from a variety of heritages,

including Kenyans i.e. the goal should be to communicate their pride for Kenya even

though they will still accommodate foreigners.

2. To show Fairmont Hotel Norfolk’s potential guests and staff that their health is

equally important to the business as their enjoyment and leisure i.e. the goal should be

to show that they value customers and staff’s health and will protect it while

maximizing their enjoyment in work and tourist experiences.

References

1. Hassan, S. (2020, June 4 ), Fairmont Hotels reverses sacking of its employees


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2. Obura, F. (2020, May 28 ), Fairmont Hotels and Resorts dismisses all employees
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3. Ramashko, B. (2020, April 13 ), How can hotel industry recover after COVID-19?
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4. Reid, J. (2019, September 22 ), Hotel review: Fairmont The Norfolk, Nairobi 


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