File photo of tourists at the Moi International Airport, Mombasa. [Photo/ nation.co.ke]
Hoteliers at the Coast have raised concerns over the current political uncertainty being witnessed in the country, arguing that it has affected the tourism sector.Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers Kilifi County chairman Mr Philip Chai on Monday said the political stalemate has led to a decline in tourist arrivals."In Malindi, hotels have been hit by an international drought. The top seat wrangles have adversely affected the industry,” said Chai.He said even though a few chartered airlines have been flying tourists to Mombasa on a monthly basis, the sector is still suffering from low tourist numbers as the majority of them have diverted to Zanzibar."The Italian chartered airlines bring few tourists to Mombasa as the bulk of the holidaymakers spend their vacations in Zanzibar,” added Chai.On his part, Kenya Union of Domestic Hotels Educational Institutions and Allied Workers (KUDHEIHA) North Coast branch Secretary Micheal Yaa who said workers risk losing their jobs if the situation does not improve. "At the moment most hotels in Malindi are scaling down their operations. Our fears are that workers will be sent home if the situation will not improve," said Yaa, as quoted by Business Daily.