THE travel industry has been dealt
another hammer blow as heightened terrorism alerts and further SARS warnings compound
this summer’s sales slump.
Operators to Kenya have demanded an immediate rethink
of Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice against non-essential travel to the
country, claiming it will have a “devastating effect” on tourism. The warning
came after intelligence reported a possible threat to British Airways services
in and out of Nairobi.
Somak Holidays managing director Stuart Britton said
improvements in security at Kenya’s airports meant the travel ban – and the
subsequent suspension of BA flights – were punishing the African country for
preventing an incident.
“We are working hard to get the advice amended,” he
said. “The longer-term affects could be devastating.”
A total of 63 countries around the world now have full
or partial travel bans imposed by either the UK, US, German or Australian
governments, highlighting the perceived danger to Western travellers.
US specialists at Pow Wow in St Louis claimed
holidaymakers were increasingly calling for reassurance after the country
raised its alert status to orange, fearing al-Qaeda attacks at the weekend.
North African operators, however, claim resilient
Brits have not been put off visiting Morocco after a series of suicide bombs in
Casablanca.