Hoteliers in Naivasha are counting losses after recording one of the worst bookings ever witnessed in recent years.
The harsh economic times coupled by the need to minimize on spending have forced visitors to keep off the lake side town.
This has been coupled by the poor state of Moi South Lake road where majority of the hotels are located with its condition worsening by the day.
Many hoteliers have now been forced to cut down on the size of their workforce despite investing heavily for the festive season.
According to Lake Naivasha Resort proprietor Rahab Mwihaki, this was the worst season ever witnessed in the industry.
Mwihaki said so far only 40 percent of the facility had been booked ahead of Christmas and New Year festivities.
"At a time like this last year we were overbooked but this year things are totally different as we have recorded the lowest bookings in a long time," she said.
Lake Naivasha hotel owners’ association chairman Peter Mehta said the poor state of Moi South Lake road was also to blame for the low bookings.
He said everybody was avoiding the road like ‘plague’ noting that the government was to blame for the delayed rehabilitation.
“No one wants to pass through this stretch and it’s the only one that harbors all these tourist hotels and this means it a loss for many of them,” he said.
Mehta who is also the proprietor of the popular Cray Fish Camp located on the shores of the lake said they had organized a flurry of activities but all that would go to the drain.
“We are at 30 percent booking as of now and despite having invested heavily we are staring at one of the largest losses ever seen,” he said.
Speaking on phone, Naivasha deputy county commissioner Mathioya Mbogo said security had been intensified in and out of the town to ensure those visiting were safe.
On the state of the road, the administrator said a contractor was on the ground and was waiting for the rains to subside and then begin the works.
“We understand the pain motorists and others are undergoing and we are calling for calm as we wait for the contractor to begin the works anytime,” he said.
