Most hotels in Masai Mara Game Reserve have started laying off workers as this year’s tourism peak season in Masai Mara Game Reserve fizzles out. Hundreds of workers in more than 175 establishments will be laid off until the neaxt peak season in August next year.
Curio dealers and other related business on the industry are bracing themselves for hard economic times as most shops outside the park have started closing, with about three weeks to the end of the season. Few hotels, mainly exclusive lodges and tented camps, according to their proprietors, are expected to retain a skeleton of staff until the next season.
“We will only retain few workers who will see us through the next one year. Others will have to leave on either unpaid or half salary leave,” says Lily Waddington, the proprietor of the exclusive Osero Camp within Siana Conservancy east of the park.
Most hotels have recorded a major drop in guests in the last two weeks. All mobile tented camps that operate during peak season closed a month ago. Already, hundreds of wildebeests have left for Serengeti National Park due to drought in the reserve where they had crossed in July to graze and calve, disrupting the migration cycle.
“We started receiving few guests from mid last month. The number tumbled to a trickle in the last three weeks. In the last one week we have not received any guest,” says Theophilus Shumwe, the manager, Tipilikwani Mara Camp.
The management of non-performing enterprises say they will use the recess to carry out repairs and spruce them in readiness for the Christmas and New Year when tourists, mainly locals are expected. “We will be closing to rehabilitate the hotel in readiness for the December and early January. We will also use the time to market it for future arrivals,” says Ben Kipeno, a proprietor of high end tented camp within Siria Escarpment outside the Mara Conservancy.
Mara Sarova Game Camp, Keekorok Lodge, Mara Serena Lodge, Kempinski Mara Camp are among few high end hotels whose arrivals stood at above 85 per cent between late July and early last month but dipped to below 50 per cent and will retain most of the staff, their managers have indicated. “Though business has tumbled, we expected to retain most of our employees who are on permanent basis,” says John Kiruti, the manager Keekorok Lodge.
Businesses closing
John Siloma, a ground crew of Tran world Hot Air Balloon Company Ltd said dismal arrivals have affected business, adding that some companies operating in the reserve have laid off their staff to stay afloat while others are contemplating folding. “We had six clients the whole of last week. We are the only company that is recording some business amidst gloom,” he says.
Godfrey Kimani, the chairman of Masai Mara Curio Dealers Association said business has slowed earlier, adding that most shops along the Riron-Mai Mahiu-Narok-Mara roads and in trading centres near all park gates have closed. “The season looked promising. We had a surge in business in August only. Unfortunately most outlets have closed, leaving many who depended on the business on economic crisis,” he says.
[crp]
