Minister admits tourism hit hard by terror attacks

East Africa News

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By The Citizen Correspondents

Posted Wednesday, April 2 2014 at 11:14

In Summary

·         Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie said the Westgate Mall terror attack had a negative impact on the number of international tourists visiting the country.

·         Nairobi. International tourism dropped by seven per cent in the last one year due to terror attacks in Kenya.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Phyllis Kandie said the Westgate Mall terror attack had a negative impact on the number of international tourists visiting the country.

“Tourism is sensitive to terrorism and incidences in the last one year particularly Westgate affected the number of international tourists,” she said.

She was giving a brief to the media alongside other Cabinet Secretaries on Tuesday at Harambee House, Nairobi. On Monday, Industrialisation Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed, Ms Judi Wakhungu (Water), Mr Felix Kosgei (Agriculture) and Principal Secretary Mariam Elmaki addressed the media and outlined their achievements in the last one year. Ms Kandie said the ministry had to take urgent measures to assure international visitors of their safety in Kenya.

She said domestic tourism increased in the past year with bed capacity increasing from 37 per cent to 41 per cent.

The CS said they were now focusing on enhancing domestic tourism in Kenya and also East Africa.

“We are also looking to diversify from only marketing the coast and safari and focus on business tourism,” she said.

Ms Kandie said Kenya hosted 31 international conferences despite the terror attacks, an indication that there is potential in business tourism.

She said the ministry will construct two conference facilities of international standards in Nairobi and Mombasa.

She also said the ministry was working to boost agri-tourism, sports tourism and adventure tourism