NAIROBI, Kenya, June 15 – East Africa’s luxury hospitality segment has received a fresh global spotlight after Hemingways Hospitality Group secured nominations in two of the world’s most influential travel awards, reinforcing the region’s growing visibility in high-end tourism even as competition among safari and city lodges intensifies.
The group has been nominated in both the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards and the World Travel Awards two platforms widely regarded as key benchmarks for reputation in the international travel industry.
Under the Hemingways brand portfolio, properties including Hemingways Nairobi, Hemingways Eden Residence, Hemingways Watamu, Hemingways Retreat Kigali and Hemingways Ol-Seki Mara have been shortlisted for the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, which are determined through public voting by global travellers.
Separately, Hemingways Nairobi and Hemingways Watamu were also nominated for the World Travel Awards, a programme that assesses industry performance through a combination of professional and consumer evaluation.
While the nominations strengthen Hemingways’ international profile, they also highlight the broader shift in East Africa’s tourism sector toward experience-driven luxury travel, where service quality, personalization and cultural immersion are increasingly shaping consumer choices.
Following the nominations, Ross Evans, CEO of Hemingways Hospitality Group said, “This recognition is a great compliment for the entire Hemingways team, and East Africa as a whole. We are proud to be an example of the region’s growth, as we extend our warmth and showcase our culture to our guests. We will continue innovating to ensure our guests have great memories, rooted in the Kenyan spirit.”
Travelers are increasingly prioritizing curated experiences, cultural engagement and service consistency when selecting destinations.
However, the sector also faces mounting pressure from global luxury hotel chains expanding into African safari circuits, as well as rising expectations around sustainability, pricing transparency and community impact factors that continue to influence how destinations are assessed by both travelers and award bodies.
Within this context, Hemingways’ dual nominations are likely to reinforce Kenya and the wider East African region’s positioning in the premium tourism market, even as operators compete to sustain occupancy levels and attract high-value visitors in an increasingly segmented global travel economy.
