Tourism sector players brace for huge losses after new lockdown
Kirera Mwiti and Reuben Mwambingu
The hospitality industry is yet again staring at massive downturn in its operations following the new strict government directives to contain Covid-19 disease spread.
Hoteliers in Naivasha and Coast region have warned of massive job losses in the hospitality industry, even as cessation of movement was termed as suffocation for the industry.
With workshops and conferences banned, the hoteliers who are yet to recover from the first wave termed the current period as the darkest for the sector.
The move came as government and private institutions cancelled all planned workshops in and around Naivasha, which is currently ranked among the top conference centres in the country.
Lake Naivasha Resort General Manager Rahab Mwihaki regretted that all their bookings have been cancelled after the new directives were issued.“We fully support the government in the fight against this virus though the ban on workshops will have a negative effect on us, our workers, suppliers and even the State,” she said.
South Lake Hoteliers in Naivasha chairman Peter Mehta admitted some of their members had already sent their workers home as one way of cutting down on their expenses.
He said hotels were between a rock and a hard place as they had to adhere with government’s directives and protect their workers and customers.
“Since the year began the conference sector had picked up with nearly all hotels back in operation but the third wave is with us and we have to close again,” he said.
An event organizer, Billy Muturi was optimistic that the third wave would be managed faster and all the workshops would resume.
Kenya Tourism Federation, Chairman Mohammed Hersi described the cessation of movement as suffocation to the industry.
“Today’s cessation of movements is equivalent to a knee on the neck of the tourism industry. We can’t breathe,” Hersi posted on his twitter handle.
