Kenya says tourists have not been put off by Nairobi shopping centre attack
Kenya has dismissed claims that UK tourists have been put off by the terrorist attack on a Nairobi shopping centre, saying they are ‘not ignorant’.
At least 67 people were killed and many others injured in the siege at the Westgate shopping centre on September 21.
But tourists have been resilient and four major tourism conferences in Kenya, including the Africa Hotel and Investment Forum and the Eco Tourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference, went ahead successfully at the same time.
Speaking at World Travel Market, Jacinta Nzioka Mbithi, director of marketing for the Kenya Tourism Board, said: "The British people continue to have a very good perception of Kenya. It has been very resilient. Operators are more cautious but terrorism is an international problem.
"British tourists know Kenya very well. It’s a well developed market – they’re not ignorant.
But she added that the British market do want a lot of information and that the destination has been providing ‘daily updates’ to the trade.
The UK is still the number one market for Kenya despite figures being down 7% to June 2013.
Nzioka Mbithi said since the elections in the country, tourism has a bigger mandate and the new government is a team of young, dynamic people working very hard.
Safari holidays still account for 80% of tourism and is the country’s ‘USP’ but the focus is also on niche markets like bird watching, golf, culture and archaeology.
Diane
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