British envoy gives Maasai Mara a clean bill of health after visit
What you need to know:
- Mr Turner said travel advisories against Kenya by Western countries did not blanket the whole country but advised British citizens to avoid certain areas that are prone to attack by terrorists.
- Mr Turner, who was hosted by Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, said every country has its safe zones and areas which are prone to terrorism, “and I would advise tourists to visit the Maasai Mara since I am a living testimony to its safety,” he said.
- Mr Turner, who was hosted by Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, said every country has its safe zones and areas which are prone to terrorism, “and I would advise tourists to visit the Maasai Mara since I am a living testimony to its safety,” he said.
The world famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve was Friday declared as place for tourists by British High Commissioner to Kenya Christian Turner.
This comes ahead of a planned visit to Kenya by US President Barack Obama in July.
This is also the time when the wildebeest migration spectacle takes place.
SPECTACULAR CROSSING
More than 500,000 tourists from all over the world are expected to witness the spectacular crossing of wildebeest across the crocodile-infested Mara River as they migrate from Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.
Mr Turner said travel advisories against Kenya by Western countries did not blanket the whole country but advised British citizens to avoid certain areas that are prone to attack by terrorists.
Speaking during a tour of the Mara, Mr Tuner said terrorism threats and attacks are a global problem and not isolated to Kenya.
“Many parts of Kenya, including the Maasai Mara, are safe for tourists. I will be at the Mara with my family for the whole weekend to assure my fellow countrymen and everyone out there that the rural parts of Kenya are safe,” he said.
Mr Turner, who was hosted by Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, said every country has its safe zones and areas which are prone to terrorism, “and I would advise tourists to visit the Maasai Mara since I am a living testimony to its safety,” he said.
He said efforts by the Kenyan Government to bring the country back to normalcy had borne fruit.
“We never issued a blanket advisory to our citizens, but we warned Britons against all but essential travel to parts of Kenya. Those include Mombasa Island, Kiwayu and the coast north of Pate Island, Eastleigh in Nairobi and everywhere within 60km of the border with Somalia,” he said.
On his part, Governor Tunai said the warnings and the travel trade’s reaction had played into the terrorists’ hands by causing “fear and panic”.
He said that the travel warnings had resulted in the collapse of tourism along Kenya’s idyllic Indian Ocean coast.
INVESTED HEAVILY
He said Kenya received 149,000 British tourists in 2013.
“The Narok County Government is vigilant and has invested heavily in security in the Maasai Mara to ensure the safety of Kenyans and foreign tourists. We have tripled the number of security personnel and security equipment in the lodges and hotels,” said Mr Tunai.
The two agreed to work together for the establishment of the Maasai Mara development plan to make the reserve a prime destination and safe for both humans and wildlife.
