Hotel owners in Naivasha, Nakuru County, have complained of low business even as the country joins the world for the Christmas and New Year festivities.

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They say that they have been forced to cut down on the size of their workforce, surprisingly during a season usually characterised by increased hotel bookings and more income.

The worst-hit hotels include the Lake Naivasha Resort, which has only recorded 40% bookings.

"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," said the hotel owner Rahab Mwihaki.

The same is the case at the Cray Fish Camp, which has only 30 percent bookings, according to the hotel owner Peter Mehta, also the Naivasha Hotel Owners Association Chairman.

He says that the situation is party to blame on the poor state of the Moi South Lake Road where the majority of the hotels are located, which has forced people to use alternative routes.

"No one wants to pass through this stretch and it’s the only one that harbours all these tourist hotels and this means it a loss for many of them,” he stated.

Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Mathioya Mbogo confirmed the sorry state of the road. He said that a contractor has been deployed to repair it once the rains subside.

He added that security has been heightened in the entire region to assure residents and visitors of their safety during the festive season.