Update on Kenya - Affects on Tourism - January 2, 2008

2007 Kenya Presidential Elections Fact Sheet

As of January 2, 2008

Please find to follow an update from the Kenya Tourist Board to reflect the current position in Kenya with regards to the localised incidents that have taken place since the General Election Results were announced. 

• The main scheduled international carriers into Nairobi for the North American market: Kenya Airways, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Emirates, continue to operate their daily scheduled services.

• U.S. Tour Operators have confirmed that tours continue to operate normally without disruption and that normal booking terms & conditions apply.

• There have been no tourism incidents related to the reactions to the election results from the last few days.

• Kenya Airways has reported extremely minimal cancellations for travellers to the country. They have had minimal changes for a very small group of individual travellers but cancellations have not been an issue at all to-date.

• Domestic carriers continue to operate full scheduled services within Kenya and these include Kenya Airways, Air Kenya and Safarlink.  Kenya Airways has reinstated its service between Nairobi and Kisumu.

• There is a strong police presence along all the main roads and highways between the airports and the city hotels and as a result, traffic is moving along these routes without a problem.  The main roads and highways linking Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson Airport and the Nairobi city hotels are also all secured and tourist vehicles are able to be driven along these routes as normal.

• The situation is similar in Mombasa and the roads are clear.  The Tourist Police Unit (TPU) in Mombasa is providing an escort service between the hotels and the airport in a convoy for ease of logistics.  The Likoni ferry used by visitors to the south coast is operating normally.

• Safaris to the main game parks continue to operate as normal both by air and by road. TPU is also available to assist tour operators and hoteliers as the need may arise. No security problems have been reported in any of the parks or reserves.

• The situation in the main cities of Nairobi and Mombasa is quickly coming back to normal with shops, banks and businesses re-opening after the New Year public holidays.

• Fuel and food deliveries have resumed after 8 days of limited replenishment due to the festive season and election public holidays. Reports of fuel shortages have been made. The Kenya Association of Tour Operators has been in touch with the fuel suppliers and it has been confirmed that there are adequate stocks of fuel available for distribution. Delivery of fuel to most stations has resumed. Most stations within Nairobi and Mombasa are expected to be adequately stocked by tomorrow morning.

• The disturbances that took place in Nairobi quelled by the first of January. They took place in areas not normally visited by tourists. It was contained specifically to various high-density, low-income housing areas. Businesses have reopened today, January 2, 2008 and people were back to work around the country.

• The U.S. State Department has updated travel information for Americans travelling to Kenya on their website. For more information please visit www.travel.state.gov.

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