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Published on : Wednesday, July 22, 2020
In the majestic plains of the Maasai Mara, the corona virus pandemic is an economic disaster for locals who earn their livelihood from tourists who visit Kenya’s rich wildlife.
However, much before the corona virus arrived in Kenya mid-March, tourism revenues started going down, with cancellations coming in from crucial markets like China, Europe and the United States.
Kenya’s tourism industry said that the sector has lost $750 million this year, which is around half of the total revenue in 2019.
“We were fully booked in June but now we have zero bookings. Nothing. It’s terrible,” said Jimmy Lemara, the manager of an eco-lodge in the private Ol Kinyei conservancy.
In the Maasai Mara, which is among Africa’s most highly-rated wildlife reserves located in the vast flat plains of the Great Rift Valley, the local Maasai community, the traditional herders comprising 2.5 percent of the population, now depend almost solely upon tourism for their living.
The Maasai now get revenue by renting their land to form private wildlife conservancies. Some of them work as cooks, guides and security guards in the lodges while others provide tours of their traditional homes or sell homemade crafts to tourists.
People in Talek are optimistic for better days to come.
Kenya has announced resuming of international flights on August 1, but the high season is already lost.
The Maasai Mara national reserve, run by the Narok county government, extends to the north with a number of privately-managed conservancies renting land from the Maasai who in return do not graze their cattle or settle there.
On average, each land owner earns $220 per month, which is far more than the minimum wage in the area.
Some Maasai families are even selling their precious farm animals to earn money.
However, livestock markets are closed due to corona virus prevention measures.
The Maasai are instead selling their animals on the black market for a meager amount to deceitful buyers who are taking advantage of their desperation.
Tags: maasai mara