Apollo Tours tailors services to survive corona crisis

What you need to know:

Apollo Tours was compelled to change how it operates as containment measures such as hygiene and social distancing took effect.
The move to quickly adopt new protocols in the wake of Covid-19 has seen the company continue to soldier on during this tough period.
Apollo says they have provided multiple companies with tailored transport solutions as the need for services that ensure safety of employees during commutes grows.

As travel-related businesses suffered interruptions owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, it didn’t take long for Apollo Tours and Travel to change tack in the wake of the “new normal” that threatened its existence.

Apollo Tours was compelled to change how it operates as containment measures such as hygiene and social distancing took effect. The move to quickly adopt new protocols in the wake of Covid-19 has seen the company, under the leadership of its Managing Director Asif Padamshi, continue to soldier on during this tough period.

Apollo says they have provided multiple companies with tailored transport solutions as the need for services that ensure safety of employees during commutes grows. It has had to tailor its service provision to ensure social distancing and hygiene.

“We have been adhering to government directives to prioritise the safety and comfort of clients and staff. Our vehicles are fitted with hand sanitisers and routinely disinfected after every trip. The pandemic has also shown us how to continue to tailor fit our services to match our clients and effectively being part of our clients’ growth,” says Apollo in a statement.

“Having decades of experience in the sector gives us an edge. We anticipate and meet our clients’ needs as they arise. Our large fleet of vehicles also ensures that we offer the most competitive rates in the market,”

Apollo clientele base is in various industries including the insurance, banking and telecommunication sectors. The transport business has been in existence since 1986. It started out as a holiday and safari packages business before eventually diving into providing transport services to corporates and as part of the logistics team during international fairs. It has a fleet of vehicles including vans and high capacity buses.

It has in the past won several accolades, the latest being named the outstanding Tours and Travel Provider 2019. It has also been named as one of Kenya’s Top 100 Mid- Sized Companies in the past.

The Nairobi-headquartered firm has offices in Eldoret, Mombasa and Kisumu, strategic positioning that has helped it to localise its business and reach as many clients as possible. The firm is also a UN Global Compact member where it has committed to uphold ethical labour practices and undertake initiatives that protect the environment. It has also partnered with SOAR Africa, a premier Leadership Summit held in Africa, which aims to create a progressive and thought-provoking platform where leaders and entrepreneurs have conversations that inspire economic progress for the continent.

High cost of operations in the current uncertain economic environment has been the greatest challenge for the firm.

“It has resulted in us bearing the burden of most additional costs that arise to maintain a healthy client relationship. A better regulated and well prepared transport and tourism sector that will help its members weather such storms currently and in the future is needed,” it says.