New UK travel advisory a blow to Coast tourism

Tourism at the Coast is expected to suffer further after the United Kingdom updated its travel advisory for Kenya.

The UK has added advice against all but essential travel to the Coast, from Tiwi in Kwale County all the way up to the border with Somalia.

Previously, the advisories only affected Mombasa, Tiwi and Mtwapa in Kilifi County.

But following the update, the areas affected by the travel advice now include Mombasa Island, Moi International Airport, and Malindi, Kilifi and Watamu resort towns.

On Sunday, Kenya Coast Tourist Association chairman Mohamed Hersi said the travel updates would further dampen the sector’s performance.

“The travel advice comes at a time when tourism at the Coast is almost on its knees due to a low number of British tourists.

“It will affect future bookings from the UK market,” he said.

HOTELS SHUT DOWN

The official said the move by the UK was a major blow to Malindi, Kilifi and Watamu towns, which have all along been hit hard by the international tourist drought.

Mr Hersi said 25 hotels have so far been shut down in Malindi, Watamu and Diani towns. He said more are set to close down after the Easter holiday.

He said the closure rendered 30,000 casual and contracted workers in the region’s hotel industry jobless.

Kenya Association of Tour Operators Coast branch chairperson Monika Solanki said some tour firms were likely to close down due to a decline in the number of visitors following the travel updates.

She said the current number of charter flights from Europe to Mombasa stands at two a week, down from four a week last month.

Ms Solanki said about 4,000 workers in the tour sub-sector had lost their livelihoods as more than 900 vans were idle.

“The number of tour vans taking tourists to the Tsavo East National Park stands at eight a day, down from 75 a day,” she said.

“I was at the Amboseli National Park recently and I saw just two tour vans. Business is low,” she said.

She called on Coast residents to support the police’s security efforts to make the region safe for holidaymakers.

“Coast residents should chip in to enable the UK to lift the travel advisories,” she said.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers’ Kilifi County branch chairman Philip Chai said the travel advice by the UK would hurt tourism further in Malindi and Watamu towns.

“At the moment, there isn't a single charter flight from Italy to Mombasa. This has adversely affected the tourism sector,” he said.

He added that the UK travel advice was a blow to tourism in Kilifi as some hotels in the county depended on British tourists.

Mr Chai appealed to the police to address the security concerns in the resort towns so that the UK can lift the advisories.

Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers’ Coast branch executive officer Sam Ikwaye said the sector would hit rock bottom following the UK travel update.

He added that the number of international tourists visiting the region would drop further.

Mr Ikwaye called on coastal county governments to suspend levies on tourism to save the sector from total collapse.

He asked the Kenya Tourism Board to prioritise domestic tourism following the loss of the UK market.

He said the sector could turn around if more Kenyans are encouraged to go on holiday.