Coronavirus disrupts Easter travel business bookings
The spread of Coronavirus will disrupt travel and hotel bookings during the Easter holidays, hoteliers and tour operators say.
A few weeks to long weekend and even after slashing rates by more than 50 per cent, few foreign and local tourists have confirmed visits to the country’s tourist attractions.
“Inquiries and bookings are still low. It is highly unlikely that the situation will change even as we head to the Easter.
The spread of the disease to South Africa, West African and North African has complicated things,” said Patrick Wanjohi, the managing director of Into Africa Eco Travel Company Limited.
The virus, which broke out in the Chinese province of Wuhan has spread to Europe, the US, Middle East and Asian countries — traditional source markets for Kenya and reduced the number of tourists.
By yesterday, seven African countries had confirmed Covid-19 cases — Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Togo and Tunisia and DRC Congo with one death reported in Egypt and Morocco.
Players fear this will negatively impact the hospitality sector. Since the virus became an international health scare, Wanjohi said, his tour company has discounted travel fees by almost half, but business remains low still.
“Most would-be travellers might spend Easter indoors,” says Wanjohi.
Virtually all the 180 hotels in Masai Mara Game Reserve have been severely affected, with some closing down until the June-October peak season when managers expect the disease would have been contained.
“About 1,500 people who directly or indirectly depend on tourism activities have been affected by low business volumes and the unexpected closures.
If the virus will be prevalent by June, we will not have visitors during the peak season,” said Ben Kipeno, the proprietor of an exclusive camp that often hosts Americans outside the Mara Triangle.
He said Covid-19 has hit all revenue streams for hotels, including conferencing, which the facilities use to stay afloat during low seasons.
“Since 2011 when Chinese developed interest in the Mara, they have kept businesses alive during low and high seasons. Now that they are not coming and there are no conferences, the situation is really bad,” said Kipeno.
Conferences cancelled
The government has banned international gatherings in the country for 30 days due to the disease.
“The government has, with immediate effect, banned all meetings, conferences and events of international nature in Kenya,” Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said last week.
Hoteliers in Narok town, the gateway to Mara say they also expect low business during the Easter holidays because of Coronavirus scare.
“Unlike in previous years, we have not received inquiries or bookings for the holidays.
Apart from the scare, the harsh economic times is dictating arrivals,” said Ishmael Ayabei, general manager of Chambai Springs in the town.
Gabrielle Kampenhube, MD Shimba Hills Lodge South Coast, says there have been cancellations in many hotels at the Coast after airlines cancelled flights.
“It’s a nightmare for our business as European travellers are concerned about the pandemic.
One airline has stopped bringing guests from Italy. We are watching to see how the next coming days will be. There’s nothing we can do,” she said.
However Diani Reef general manager Jotham Mwang’ombe said the South Coast hotel has remained unshaken, with about 78 bookings from Germany tourists flocking his hotel.”
Despite the advisories issued on travelling, the hotel has not received any cancellation yet, signifying a bright future ahead of Easter holiday. Surprisingly we are receiving more bookings from Germany,” he said.
Kenya Coast Tourism Association CEO Julius Owino says North Coast is staring at low bookings as more cancellations from Italian market continue to flood the region.
“We do not see a good Easter in terms of foreign bookings in Malindi because of the advisories by the State on the Italian market,” said Owino.
Globetrotter Agency Tours and Travel company managing director Vidya Jethywa said business was on a decline following advisories issued by Kenyan government of flights from North Italy.
“We anticipate that before Easter things will get better, but for now, things are not good, business is declining, a lot of cancellations are hitting us hard,” said Jethywa.
Sectors biggest loss
Italian tourism market that commands about 80 percent of arrivals in North Coast has been cut off. About 10,000 workers face retrenchment as a result. Kenya Coast Tourism Association chairman Victor Shitakha says hospitality facilities are struggling to stay afloat.
“Hotels, which had booked Italian clients will be forced to refund their clients money, which is a blow,” he said.
“Although the industry is in support of the government’s decision to suspend the flights, the move has dealt a blow to the coastal regional economy that is highly dependent on tourism,” added Shitakha.
In Nairobi, organisers of the third edition of Next Einstein Forum (NEF) Global Gathering, the largest science and innovation gathering in Africa, have put the gathering on hold. This week’s European Tour Golf event was also called off.
The multi-million shillings event was slated for March 12-15 at Karen Country Club in Nairobi. “We totally respect the decision made by the government of Kenya in these difficult times,” said European Tour Golf CEO Keith Pelley.
The biggest loss to the sector so far has been last week’s cancellation of ITB Berlin, the largest tourism expo in the world, which gives the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) a feel of what German tour operators and German holidaymakers want. — Peter Leshan, Harriet James, Harrison Kivisu and Noel Wandera
