Security fears hit Kenya’s tourism for second year

Terrorist threats and wildlife poaching have hit Kenya’s tourism for a second year running with numbers dropping by 11% in 2013.

Tourist arrivals declined to 1.09 million in 2013, down from 1.23 million the year before, according to reports by news agency AFP, citing tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie.

"Insecurity in the largest part of last year saw the number of tourist source markets issue advisories against non-essential travel to Kenya and potential tourists chose alternative destinations offering similar products," Kandie was quoted as saying.

"Kenya has also been losing its competitive advantage in the safari product due to declining wildlife population and haphazard development of accommodation facilities in major conservation areas."

Kandie said the expansion of a 16% sales tax to include tourist goods last September had made it more expensive to visit the east African country compared to neighbours such as Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Business has been dropping since 2012 following attacks and kidnappings linked to the war in Somalia, fears of renewed political violence and the Westgate shopping centre attack by Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab last year.

According to the most recent figures from 2011, tourism in Kenya directly or indirectly accounted for 14% of economic output and roughly 12% of the workforce.