The Kenya Union of Domestic Hotels, Educational Institutions, Hospitals and Allied Workers has opposed the new levies imposed on hotels and lodges offering accommodation and catering services, arguing that they will hurt the already burdened hotels.
While addressing the media on Monday, Mombasa and Kwale branch Secretary Zack Osore noted that hotels are still struggling to recover from the effects of travel advisories issued by foreign countries that affected tourism sector.
“Since last year, hotels have earned low revenues after international guests kept off courtesy of travel advisories,” said Mr Osore.
According to the Bill, hotels, lodges and those offering accommodation and catering services will have to pay an annual fee of between Sh80,000 and Sh120,000 if the proposed Finance Bill is passed.
Over 20,000 permanent and contracted workers have been at home since last year owing to the tourism sector slump and only a few have returned to work and Osore was quick to ask the county to withdraw the Bill.
“The county should withdraw the proposed accommodation, catering and room levies Bill for the sake of workers in these hotels,” he said.
He added: “this region depends on tourism and the counties should also play a major part in marketing it both in traditional and emerging markets and thus Coastal counties should suspend the new levies for at least two years in support of the sector's revival,” he added.
He went on to ask the county government to seek alternative sources of income rather than imposing heavy levies on hotels.