Monday 7 January 2008:
Kenya Tourism Federation
- Security Update -
Nairobi
Once again there were no security problems at all in Nairobi and it was a normal Monday with busy traffic in the city centre and all offices and banks open as usual.
There were no problems for any tourist vehicles driving through the city, no delays, and all transfers to and from the airport and to the Nairobi hotels operated as normal.
Mombasa
Everything is back to normal and there were no problems affecting tourists in any of the beach resorts or in Mombasa. The Likoni ferries are in operation as normal. Some tour operators have now re-introduced City Tours once again into Mombasa and all safaris and excursions out of Mombasa continue as usual. There have been no crowds or demonstrations apart from a small group of youths attempting to hold a peaceful procession at 11 am but who were dispersed by police without any violent confrontation. All transfers and safaris continue to operate as normal from Mombasa.
Parks and Reserves
There were no reports of any problems anywhere in the parks, reserves or tourist routes. All national parks and reserves may be visited by road or air as normal. The daily scheduled services linking all the parks continue to operate as normal.
Western Kenya
Although there were no reports of any problems in Western Kenya today, we recommend that the areas beyond Nakuru to Eldoret, Kericho, Kakamega and Kisumu continue to remain off-limits to tourists for the time being. However these are not areas normally visited by tourists as part of their safari itinerary. Kenya Airways continue to operate flights to Kisumu and have added a daily service to Eldoret.
Overall there is a feeling that things are quickly getting back to normal and calm has been restored.
There is now increased attention being given to people who were displaced by the unrest a week ago. The tourism industry is joining other organisations in supporting the Kenya Red Cross in providing food and shelter – details will be provided shortly. There are adequate stocks of food and fuel in Kenya and transport services have resumed so that deliveries are being made to areas where supplies had been disrupted.
The large rallies planned for tomorrow have been cancelled and the political parties now appear to be moving towards negotiation to try to resolve the current political crisis.
Throughout the period of civil unrest and even at the height of the problems when there was continual footage of riots on TV, no tourists were harmed in any way in spite of over 30,000 international tourists being in Kenya. The tourism industry ensured that there was close liaison and communication 24 hrs a day to avoid tourists being endangered. Now it appears that tensions are being calmed and that normality has returned. It is vital that travel advisories are softened to allow tourists to visit Kenya to avoid a collapse of tourism which would have a massive negative impact on the economy and the thousands of Kenyans earning a livelihood from tourism. It would be ironic if tourists stopped coming just as the situation returned to normal whereas all hotels were running full when the violent civil unrest took place immediately after the elections.
Jake Grieves-Cook
Spokesman, Kenya Tourism Federation
