State ‘paying lip service’ to tourism industry

By  Macharia  Kamau

The tourism industry is questioning the Government’s commitment in saving the tourism industry from what they said appears to be an imminent collapse of the industry.

Through their lobby Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), the industry players say there has been a lackluster reaction by Government officials in arresting the insecurity that has been a major blow for the industry as well as reassuring Kenyans, investors and tourist source markets.

President Uhuru Kenyatta in March conceded that insecurity has  affected tourism, noting that the ‘industry which contributes 10 per cent to the GDP is virtually on its knees’.

KTF now dismisses the Government as all-talk-and-no-action.

“We demand that Government gives tourism the importance it deserves. As one of the key sectors of the economy and a key pillar of the Kenya Vision 2030, we feel that the Government just gives lip service to its affairs,” said KTF in a statement after a crisis meeting yesterday.

KTF spoke on the background of the UK upgrading its travel advisory that cautions its citizens from visiting the whole of Mombasa, with the exemptions of Diani and the Moi International Airport.

The move is expected to hit Mombasa hard, which is highly dependent on tourism. The tourism industry lobby expects earnings to go down 30 per cent, a continuation of a three-year declining trend.

Other forex earners – in particular tea and coffee – are also taking major hits, with prices declining in the international markets.

Projected revenues

“Counties that rely on tourism for its revenues should also take notice that they will not be able to meet their budgets and should factor in at least a 30 per cent reduction in their projected revenues and much more in some counties,” said the lobby. Hoteliers say bookings are averaging at about 15 per cent at a time when bookings normally exceed available capacity.

During the season that runs between June and October, there is a large number of tourists and bookings such that many hotels have in the past had to turn away guests due to limited space.

The season usually coincides with the Wildebeest Migration. This year however, hoteliers are grappling with low bookings, with some embarking on staff layoffs.