Lamu leaders urge the West to withdraw travel bans

Lamu leaders have appealed to Western countries holding travel advisories against the county to lift them.

Speaking when delegates from the French and US embassies paid him a courtesy call at his official residence in Lamu Town, Governor Issa Timamy said his government fully cooperated with the national government in putting up adequate security.

He said the county had invested in proper marketing for the county’s image and reputation, which included branding Lamu the “Island of Festivals” and subsequent creation of numerous festivals which have attracted a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Mr Timamy said the advisories were putting the county’s tourism and hotel industries into jeopardy, considering that all previous security gaps have been addressed.

“Lamu is peaceful; the only challenge we have is the existing travel advisories, which are painting a not-so-pleasant image of the county,” he said. “It’s unfortunate because Lamu is safe.

TOURISM POLICE UNITS

“All security measures are up to date. We are just concerned because the situation seems not to be favourable for our tourism and hotel industries and as such the county is suffering.”

The Tourism Executive, Mrs Samia Omar, said all necessary measures — including installation of CCTV cameras in Lamu Town, establishment of tourism police units at the main Manda airport and in Lamu Town — had been put in place to ensure security and safety of tourists.

Meanwhile, tourism at the Coast has hit its lowest ebb with only one European chartered airline flying tourists to Mombasa, hoteliers say.

Today, only German holiday airline Condor ferries tourists from Frankfurt to Moi International Airport, compared to over 20 in the 2011 peak period.