This archive report was first published on 2 July 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, Kenya's tourism sector has been dealt a devastating blow, with the industry facing unprecedented challenges.
With the grounding of passenger flights in March, the sector has come to a grinding halt, leaving hotels and related businesses struggling to stay afloat. The usually bustling streets of Mombasa and Nairobi, key hubs for the tourism industry, have been eerily quiet, with domestic tourism remaining insignificant in terms of numbers.
According to Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, the industry has lost a staggering Sh80 billion, with 1.6 million jobs at risk as sales plummeted by 60-80 per cent. The sector, which was thriving just a few months ago, with 163,000 tourist arrivals in February, has come to a complete standstill since the lockdown.
However, in a bid to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, the government has announced a Sh53 billion stimulus package, which includes soft loans for hotels and related establishments, as well as funding for renovating facilities and restructuring businesses. The sector will also benefit from the hiring of 5,500 community scouts for the Kenya Wildlife Service and support for 160 community conservancies.
As the country begins to relax its strict guidelines, the tourism industry must now focus on fashioning its recovery programme, with experts predicting that the sector will emerge stronger from the pandemic.
