THE Kenyan government has attacked the UK’s travel and
flight ban to the country earlier this year, saying it cost more than £100
million in lost earnings.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued advice
against all but essential travel to Kenya in May following fears of a terrorist
attack.
The Department of Transport also issued a directive
suspending UK-based carriers flying to Nairobi and Mombasa. Although the advice
was lifted in June and the flight ban lifted in September, Kenya’s ministry of
tourism estimates that, through cancelled flights and lost tourist revenue, the
country’s GDP is down 1.6% or £108 million.
A spokesman said: “The cost to the economy is probably
even greater. The FCO advice is still deeply discouraging to prospective
tourists.”
A spokesman for the Kenya Tourist Board said it
“absolutely supported” the Ministry’s claim and backed moves to make travel
advice more consistent.
The board has recently launched a £1.2 million tourism
recovery campaign.