This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
Published on August 4, 2020, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited is considering the permanent closure of its Nairobi unit, citing operational reasons.
The hotel's management announced the move in a notice through its appointed attorney, Oliver Geyer, stating that all employment positions within the hotel would become redundant.
"We write to inform you that Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited (Kenya Branch) is for operational reasons considering a permanent closure of the Intercontinental Nairobi and winding up all its operations in the republic of Kenya," reads part of the notice.
The decision comes at a time when the hotel industry is still recovering from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In April, a survey by the Central Bank of Kenya indicated that over 90 percent of staff had been sent packing as the sector's revenues ran dry.
However, with international flights resuming on July 30, the hotel industry is slowly showing signs of recovery. A recent survey by the Central Bank of Kenya found that 60 percent of hotels surveyed were ready to reopen once international flights in the country resume.
