Kenyan Tourism Set to Lose $312mn Due to the Political Crisis
January 13, 2008
The Kenya Association of Tour Operators on Saturday said that the country has incurred a loss of 5 billion shillings ($78 million) in tourism revenue as a result of the post-election violence and warns that a further 20 billion shillings ($312 million) will be lost by March if the current political crisis is not quickly addressed.
Tourism is the country’s top foreign currency earner.
Addressing the press in Nairobi, the chairman of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators, Duncan Muriuki said that over 20,000 jobs are at stake as the sector is due to embark on cost cutting measures, which will directly and indirectly affect all the players in the industry.
Meanwhile, both the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) and the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers are asking travel agencies to be factual in their advice to tourists planning to visit Kenya.
Addressing journalists in Nairobi on Saturday, the two organizations are challenging the tourist advisory group to initiate a fact-finding mission to the country, noting that all tourist circuits in the country are now safe after the recent skirmishes.
Many foreign countries, notably Britain have issued travel advisory to Kenya following the post-election violence that rocked the country over the disputed presidential elections.
The tourism sector has suffered massively with the country currently experiencing a mass exodus of tourists and with airlines and tour operators reporting mass cancellations. There are no new arrivals, with planes, including charter flights coming empty to pick people who are going back.
According to KTB, the renowned Seventh Wonder of the World game park, the Masaai Mara, which receives the highest number of tourists in the country, is virtually empty.
Source African Press Agency
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in fact i have realised that political vilence in Africa has severe harm to tourism and travel industries, mind you that this industries are source of our economy, so i wish that incidents of Kenya will never be there again not in kenya only the whole of africa
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