Kenya Tourism Revenue Falls By 32 Percent

Kenya Tourism Board managing director Achieng Ongong’a on Wednesday said despite aggressively marketing Kenya abroad the country’s tourism revenues have fallen by 32 percent in the first six months of the year compared to the same period last year.

He told a news conference in Nairobi that the industry has not recovered from the effects of the post-election violence witnessed in January and February, with the country posting $343 million for the first six months in 2008 compared to $507 million in 2007.

He cited mass cancellations by tourists expected to visit the country as one of the factors that has led to the huge revenue losses for the sector.

He said that 25,000 workers have been laid off due to the poor performance of the sector.

Ongong’a said the country receives more tourists annually from the United Kingdom at over 42,000, followed by United States at 29,000 and Germany at 16,000.

Tourism is Kenya’s second foreign exchange earner after horticulture.

Source African Press Agency

Net News Publisher

Rate this:

3.2