This archive report was first published on 10 June 2020.
On June 10, 2020, Kempinski hotels in Kenya issued a redundancy notice to their staff as they restructured amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The hotel group, which operates Villa Rosa and Olare Mara Kempinski, cited a significant decline in tourist numbers and revenues due to the pandemic's impact on international travel.
According to a memo, the hotel is readjusting its staff base to achieve lean, agile teams for the period, with the goal of maintaining proper cost structures.
General Manager Roberto explained that the closure of international borders and flights had affected the number of foreign visitors, who account for over 80% of the hotel's business.
The hotel expects minimal revenue from rooms, conferencing, and the restaurant, leading to the restructuring and redundancy notice.
It is unclear how many staff members will be affected by the changes, but the statement reveals that redundancies will impact multiple departments and cadres of employees.
Kempinski hotels join a list of other players in the hospitality industry who have sent employees home due to dwindling revenues, including Fairmont and Serena Hotels.
