Hotels lay off over 7,000 workers
A cat rests on one of the beds at the White Sands Beach Resort, Mombasa. Overall, between 2011 and 2013, total tourist arrivals to Kenya declined by 17 per cent. PHOTO/KEVIN ODIT
What you need to know:
- The slow business associated with the traditional low tourist season was compounded by travel advisories which were recently issued by the United Kingdom, the US, France and Australia.
- Many of the workers were unlikely to receive their May salaries as hotels in Malindi and Watamu towns had no visitors.
- The sector IS facing a turbulent period since most of the hotels in Malindi depend on the Italian tourist source market.
- Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the ban prohibiting civil servants from holding meetings in hotels.
The number of hotel workers sent home due to the slump in tourism has exceeded 7,500 after about 3,000 more were sacked in the past week.
The slow business associated with the traditional low tourist season was compounded by travel advisories which were recently issued by the United Kingdom, the US, France and Australia.
According to the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Kilifi county branch chairman Philip Chai, about 5,000 workers were laid off in Malindi and Watamu resort towns as a result of the low season and the travel warnings.
NO SALARIES
Many of the workers, he said, were unlikely to receive their May salaries as hotels in the two towns had no visitors.
Most of those sent home were either casual labourers and those on contract.
“The tourism sector in Malindi and Watamu towns is on its knees due to the low season and the recent advisories which were issued by the Western countries,” he said. “International tourists are hard to come by,” he lamented.
The sector, he added, was facing a turbulent period since most of the hotels in Malindi depend on the Italian tourist source market.
However, he expected the hotels to re-open between mid-July and October depending on the resumption of Italian charter flights.
LESS THAN 10 OPEN
KAHC Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said of the 30 hotels in Kilifi County affiliated to the association, less than 10 remain open and they have a bed occupancy of between 10 and 20 per cent.
Last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta lifted the ban prohibiting civil servants from holding meetings in hotels.
He also said private companies would get tax relief on the money they spend on staff holidays.
The measures were meant to help the hotels overcome the challenges posed by the downturn in tourism.
Kenya has also embarked on an aggressive online marketing campaign to lure more tourists from various parts of the world, including China, and to counter the negative publicity generated by the advisories and recent grenade attacks.
