KENYA’S TOURISM STAKEHOLDERS DEMAND ‘PEACE’ FROM GOVERNMENT
The current series of wrangles, spits and spats in the Kenyan government over new appointments and a range of other issues following the introduction of a new constitution last year, has not amused tourism stakeholders at all apparently. Over the last weekend has the Chairman of the Mombasa and Coast Tourist Association and other senior stakeholders voiced demands on government to seek a peaceful way forward and avoid any degree of violence amongst their supporters and expressed their hope that both President Kibaki and his Prime Minister, and their groups in cabinet and parliament continue to consult each other.
The Kenyan tourism industry was hardest hit in the aftermath of the controversial elections in late December 2007, resulting in a near collapse when the country descended into street violence, and it took the tourism private sector, and the public sector through the Kenya Tourist Board over a year to overcome the fall out of the negative publicity.
Last year Kenya then recorded the best arrival and revenue results ever from tourism and stakeholders are demanding that these achievements not be put at risk by irresponsible statements and public spats, which could potentially impact on visitor arrivals and new investments in the sector.
Wise words and the political who is who in Kenya better ought to listen to these sentiments.
