The Nation (Nairobi)

19 January 2008
Posted to the web 20 January 2008

Accessed at http://allafrica.com/stories/200801200098.html  

Nation Correspondent
Nairobi

The Lake Nakuru National park has recorded reduced revenue due to the post-election violence that has seen the number of visitors decline.

A Kenya Wildlife Service official told the Saturday Nation that the park hosted 11,682 tourists between January 1 and 16 last year but has managed only 5,513 this year.

Revenue, the official said, has fallen to Sh6.7 million compared to Sh19.5 million during the January 1-16 period last year. Mr Charles Muthui, the park's senior warden, said that they were currently receiving an average of 100 visitors daily compared to the past years when they would host up to 600 tourists in a day.

Below capacity

Most of the tourists visiting the park are from Britain, US and Australian. Hotels in the park are now recording only 15 per cent bed occupancy, said Mr Joseph Muya, a director with Lake Nakuru Lodge.

He said they had been forced to lay off some staff because they were operating below capacity.

A Saturday Nation visit to the park met some 18 tourists from Australia at one of the camp site who arrived into the country on New Year's eve.