Surge in tourist numbers seeking to visit Coast World War sites

TAITA, KENYA: There has been an upsurge in number of inquiries for tourists seeking to sample Kenya's First World War WW1 battle sites in Taita Taveta county, officials have announced.

The surge in numbers is caused by growing interest in Kenya's latest tourist attraction- or battlefield tourism.

During WW1 British and Germany forces, fighting  from Kenya and former Tanganyika, respectively, fought horrendous, bloody and pitched battles in parts of the county and the relics and carnage of this war can still be seen in these parts, a century later.

Kenyan tourism authorities began promoting these sites last year to commemorate the start of WW1 and now they report positive results.

According to Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (Kahc) Tsavo and Amboseli branch chairman, Mr Willy Mwadillo, the latest such inquiries have come in from South Africa where a leading Museum is keen to send experts to sample World War 1 history in the county.

'' Immediately after the county played host to 100 years since start of the infamous World War 1 last year, there has been growing interest from allover the world particularly Australia, Europe and the Americas,'' he said.

Mwadillo who is also General Manager of the Sarova Taita Hills and Salt Lick Lodges added that the county is striving to become the first county to fully embrace battlefield tourism, a new concept taking shape.

The battlefield tourism concept has gained relevance and a sense of urgency after the world marked 100 years since the start of World War I or WWI.

And speaking at the Sarova Salt Lick Lodge, a group of American tourists led by Ms Mary Margaret Welch from Seattle , USA said that they were happy to be among very sociable people in Taita.