United Kingdom Issues New Travel Advisory on Kenya

The United Kingdom government has issued a new travel advisory to its citizens within Kenya and those planning to visit the country.

In what could negatively affect Kenya’s tourism, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has warned its citizens against the risk of kidnapping in the country.

In the travel guidance issued on Tuesday, the UK has urged her citizens to be vigilant for kidnappings in several parts of the country including Nairobi.

“There’s a heightened threat of terrorism, including terrorist kidnappings, across Kenya, including to people traveling in or through Nairobi, the coast and resort areas around Mombasa and Malindi, the towns of Narok, Naivasha, Nanyuki and Meru, and their surrounding areas, and the northern border counties,” the FCO says in a statement.

“Attacks, including terrorist kidnappings, could target Westerners, including British nationals.”

CFO has advised British nationals to be vigilant in places frequented by foreigners including hotels, bars, restaurants, sports bars and nightclubs, sporting events, supermarkets, and shopping centers.

It also lists coastal areas including beaches, airports, buses, trains and other transport hubs as possible areas which could be targeted. 

The UK is one of the leading sources of foreign tourists to Kenya having been ranked fourth last year.

A total of 184, 002 tourists from the UK visited Kenya in 2018 behind the United States, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Speaking to the Business Daily, Kenya Tourism Federation chairman, Mohamed Hersi has expressed his disappointment following the UK’s travel alert.

“The blanket condemnation of Kenya as a destination is not very healthy. It is not a country where you run the risk of getting kidnapped. We host the UN offices in Nairobi and more than 150 diplomats,” he notes.

The UK advisory comes barely two months after the US listed Kenya among the global kidnapping hotspots.