ECONOMIC BRIEF
Kenya tourism sector is set to benefit significantly after France lifted travel advisories against Malindi and Mombasa on Friday 18th December 2015.
In May last year (2014) France and other nations including UK, US and Australia issued travel advisories to their respective citizens warning them against travelling to Kenya citing cases of rising terror attacks by Somali based terrorist group Al Shabaab.
Kenya’s security agents have been working round the clock to neutralize Al Shabaab threat and for a better part of 2015, Mombasa including other major towns in the coastal region have enjoyed relative peace.
Government of Kenya through its state’s security organs has intensified security across the country and more so during the festive season when the country is expected to receive thousands of tourists.
Mr. Balala the new Tourism Cabinet Secretary lauded the French government saying that lift of the travel advisories against the coastal destinations of the country will greatly boost the ailing sector.
The Tourism CS pleaded with other western nations that have not reviewed their travel advice to their citizens to follow suit saying government had improved security in the region.
French ambassador to Kenya Remi Marechaux said France has lifted the travel bans against Mombasa and Malindi, a tourist town in Kilifi County following a review on security measures in the country which he noted have greatly improved.
In June, the UK government also lifted travel advisories it had earlier put against Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties after the Kenya government addressed the security concerns raised by the western countries.
Tourism CS Najib Balala thanked the French government for lifting the travel advisories and was quoted saying “We are happy when our tourist source markets appreciate what the government has done in improving security especially in our tourism hotspots,”.
“It is our hope that all travel advisories against other parts of the country will be reviewed soon,” he added.
