NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 29 – There has been a continued recovery in the hospitality sector, with a new survey indicating that a majority of hotels in the country have reopened, following disruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The survey, conducted by the Central Bank of Kenya between January 13 and 15, reveals that 97 percent of hoteliers have resumed operations, compared to 96 percent in November 2020 and 35 percent in April of the same year.
The survey also reveals that there has been continued re-engagement of employees, particularly during the festive season in December.
“Average bed occupancy was reported at 26 percent in December 2020, compared to 11 percent in April,” CBK’s Governor Patrick Njoroge said.
Meanwhile, the report also indicates that a majority of flower farms around the country are now operational.
As per the findings, employment and export orders for flowers have improved and are now close to pre-COVID-19 levels.
Respondents also indicated that orders for flower exports over the next four months are expected to remain strong, but with a risk of potential disruptions from a tightening of COVID-19 containment measures in key markets.
At the height of the pandemic, the two sectors suffered serious losses.
In March last year, Kenya Flower Council Director Clement Tulezi told news agencies that the country’s 170 horticultural farms were running into losses of over Sh250 million per day.
Kenya is the lead exporter of roses to the European Union, and the industry employs some 150,000 people and indirectly supporting four million people, according to the Council.
At the same time, the Ministry of Tourism in September revealed that more than 2.5 million people working in the tourism sector lost their jobs between April and September 2020, owing to the impact of the virus.
Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said the pandemic had triggered the massive loss of jobs in the hospitality sector, amid the suspension of international travel to contain the spread of the pandemic.