<\/p>\n
Serena Hotels was delighted to welcome back into the fold Mr Mugo Maringa, who took over the role of Serena\u2019s Country Director Tanzania on 1 October 2015.\u00a0 Claire caught up with him at World Travel Market for a quick Q&A.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Hi Mugo.\u00a0 Good to have you back!<\/p>\n Lets kick off this mini interview with an unusual fact about yourself? What made you want to work in the hospitality industry? We know you have previously worked for Serena for 22 years. Sue and I remember enjoying a wonderful dinner at Serena’s Beach’s Jahazi Grill with you back in May 2005. \u00a0 Can you tell us a bit more about your career path?<\/p>\n It has been a very interesting journey for me.\u00a0 After studying Hotel Management at the Kenya Utalii College, I joined the Serena Group in 1989 as Assistant Manager at Amboseli Serena and, over the next 22 years, worked my way up through the ranks to Country Manager before I side stepped.<\/span><\/p>\n During that time I got to know the properties well across the Serena portfolio\u00a0 – working in General Manager roles in Kenya and Tanzania as well as Country Manager in Rwanda and Uganda.\u00a0 Some of my career highlights include launching Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge back in 1996 (which I also managed for over 2 years)\u00a0 – as well as spending nearly 6 years in Stone Town managing the Zanzibar Serena Inn (now Zanzibar Serena Hotel).\u00a0\u00a0 I then moved to Rwanda to look after Kigali and Kivu Serena Hotels \u00a0and Uganda for Kampala \u00a0and Lake Victoria Serena Hotels for a few years which were great experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n I finally left Serena Hotels in August 2011 after 22 years for another exciting experience as Managing Director of The Boma Hotels where I stewarded the opening of two hotels – The Boma Nairobi and two years later Boma Inn Eldoret. After nearly four years with Boma Hotels, we set up and opened the Boma International Hospitality College where I also served as a director before heading back “home” (to Serena Hotels).\u00a0 In between this journey, I undertook a number of international exposures and further studies.\u00a0 And now I am back as part of the Serena family!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n How do you plan to make your mark in your new position? Are there any exciting things going on at any of Serena\u2019s Tanzanian properties for 2016? What three words would your friends use to describe you? What is your favourite thing about your job? An interesting fact about Tanzania that is not very well known? When is your favourite time of the year in the area? Which is your favourite hotel\/lodge in the Serena portfolio and why? If you could change three things in the travel industry, what would they be? What is the best advice you recall? What’s your favourite town in Africa and why? What is your motto in life? What is your favourite mode of travel? If you had a super power what would it be and why? What are your hobbies? What\u2019s your favourite movie of all time? What\u2019s your favourite programme on the TV right now? <\/p>\n Thanks Mugo – It has been great to reconnect with you and we look forward to seeing what 2016 holds for you!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For more information on the various Serena hotels and lodges please visit www.serenahotels.com<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Please follow @serenahotels on twitter and like our facebook page <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The Serena Blog is also jam-packed with #SerenaExperiences – http:\/\/www.theserenaexperience.com\/<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Serena Hotels was delighted to welcome back into the fold Mr Mugo Maringa, who took over the role of Serena\u2019s Country Director Tanzania on…<\/p>\n
\nI actually find work very relaxing.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI thought it would be fun meeting and serving people \u2013 and it sure has been!<\/span><\/p>\n
\nNew ideas are certainly on the table.\u00a0 A fresh way of looking at things and certainly happier results.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nPlenty \u2013 renovations, facility upgrades, new activities, and market repositioning for some units.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nAn interesting, calm, workaholic.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHearing very funny stories from repeat clients.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest in the world (54,600 km2) and it is a World Heritage Site.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nJune to October<\/span><\/p>\n
\n That’s a difficult question as they all have different flavours.\u00a0 If I HAD to pick it would be Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge as it was the one I launched and I spent more than 3 years there as General Manager.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI would do only one thing actually – to make travelling easier.\u00a0 The rest can follow.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n\u201cMake yourself happy, and it will be easier for others to keep you happy\u201d.
\nMy boss told me so many years ago, and I have never forgotten it.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI like warm weather and a relaxed lifestyle, so, Mombasa!<\/span><\/p>\n
\n“The easiest thing to do is the right thing”.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI enjoy travelling by road as I enjoy the scenery.<\/span><\/p>\n
\nTo make the world borderless.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
\nGolfing<\/span><\/p>\n
\n“The Gods Must Be Crazy”.\u00a0 Its an old South African comedy from 1980’s set in Botswana’s Kalahari desert about the San Bushmen and their discovery of a Coke bottle – apparently the most commercially successful release in the history of South Africa’s film industry.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\nI’m a big fan of National Geographic documentaries<\/span><\/p>\n