The United States Government last week lifted the travel advisory it issued to US citizens against visiting most parts of Kenya’s coastal region. The US Embassy stated that travel restrictions to Malindi, Mombasa and Kwale counties up to the Tanzanian border had been lifted.
Restrictions however, remain, on any towns near Kenya’s border with Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia.
In June, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office also lifted its advisory against traveling to Mombasa but still warned against travelling to areas within 60km of the Kenya-Somali border.
The lifting of the advisory has been met with optimism. “The lifting of the US travel advisory is another positive move for Kenya’s tourism. Kenya can move forward to showcase its superb safari and beach combination to the world,” said Nigel Vere Nicoll, Atta Chief Executive.
Some tour operators have already seen an increase in tourism to Kenya. In September, Mohanjeet Brar, Commercial Director for Gamewatchers Safaris and Porini Camps, Kenya, told Tourism Update that August was the first month, in 14 months, where bookings had begun to increase.
“The level of new bookings have significantly picked up. With the lifting of the [UK FCO] advisory at the end of June, it was too late for the high season. However, bookings for next year have really picked up.”
Airport arrival numbers are also up. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) has seen a 1.7% increase in the number of passengers travelling through the airport in August compared with the same period last year.
JKIA handled 669 205 passengers in August 2015 compared with 658 315 passengers in August 2014.
However, despite the increase in passenger numbers, not all tour operators are feeling the positive effects of this lifting and some are yet to see increase in tourist bookings to Kenya.
Elliott Mwai from Odyssey Safaris, says the company’s bookings have remained unchanged this year when compared with 2014. In fact, Mwai said he had seen a decrease in interest to Kenya. “The decrease is due to the politics, terror attack and security warnings.”
Likewise, Joe Mughop from Travel in Style said he had not seen an increase in the number of tourists to Kenya and that the company’s booking for 2015 had remained the same as 2014.
