Mogadishu has always been a commercial and financial node. Before the massive importation of clothing in Europe and the United States, the textile sector of the city sold in much of the interior of Africa, the Arabian peninsula and the Persian Gulf.
Mombasa is an important commercial center and is home to the only major seaport in Kenya. Mombasa is the center of coastal tourism in Kenya. The island of Mombasa itself is not a main attraction, although many people visit the Old City and Fort Jesus. To the north of the island of Mombasa are the beaches Nyali, Kenyatta, Bamburi and Shanzu. South of the city are Shelly, Tiwi and Diani beaches. On these beaches there are several luxury hotels, while most of the cheaper beach hotels are farther away from the city.
Other local industries include an oil refinery and the Bamburi cement factory.
