MOMBASA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY COUNTS THEIR LOSSES FOLLOWING CRUISE LINER DIVERSION
(Posted 06th February 2019)
MS Nautica, of Oceania Cruises, has reportedly changed course to the Seychelles, after US authorities have issued a stark travel warning to their citizens about the possibility of further terror attacks in Kenya, targeting tourists.
While there is consensus among leading tourism figures in Kenya that the US anti travel warning could once again be to establish legal cover – as often seen in the past when such anti travel warnings were in the end unceremoniously withdrawn – has the impact of the warning promptly cost Kenya a major business opportunity.
Kenya, despite recent events, is generally considered safe for visiting tourists and anti travel advisories from the US – Kenya’s largest foreign market segment – the UK and other nations have in the past adversely affected the entire industry and in particular the Kenya coast.
Cruise ship visits to the port of Mombasa bring in multi million Shillings in a day through excursions, air safaris and also ship handling and ship supply services and the cancellation of the port call will leave the tourism handling agents for the ship counting their losses as they had prepared tours for guests who will now go on shore in the Seychelles.
More than 400 tourists and a similar number of crew were on board the MS Nautica.
