Tourism stakeholders at the Coast say the industry is already looking up and the arrival of the Romanian charter flight on Wednesday is a sign of greater things to come.
However, the players said the industry will take bigger and faster steps without the curfew restrictions.
The hospitality industry was the hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic globally at 58 per cent, according to Kenya Coast Tourism Association.
Kenya Tourism Federation, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers and the Kenya Coast Tourism Association on Friday said the curfew has hurt a lot of businesses and time has come for Kenyans to be allowed to exercise self-responsibility without any pressure.
The tourism players said the political class are left to do whatever they like but other people are subjected to restrictions.
“If we are going to retain the curfew then let the political campaigns also be stopped. If not then lift the curfew,” said KTF chairman Mohammed Hersi on phone.
“Right now we can’t do business at night and businesses like pubs and restaurants are really hurting,” said Hersi.
KAHC executive officer Sam Ikwaye said the coming of 116 guests from Romania, a new market, would be more helpful with the curfew lifted.
President Uhuru Kenyatta was Friday set to address the nation on the further measures to contain the Covid-19 virus spread with positive cases on the rise again.
“The arrival of Romanian tourists is a vote of confidence in Kenya as a destination. The destination now needs to put its house in order,” IKwaye said.
Shitakha said there are many political meetings on BBI where little or no caution is taken thus rendering the curfew laughable.
“Furthermore, the spike in the cases is not as big as would have been anticipated with all the gatherings that we see.
“For me, let the country be opened up but protocols must be enforced everywhere,” said KCTA chairman Victor Shitakha.
Hersi, Ikwaye and Shitakha said they look forward to more business as the country, through Kenya Tourism Board, looks to bring in tourists from new source markets.
Hersi said with the Romanian charter flight, new markets will be opened. “Currently, we have two charter flights from Poland, Warsaw to Mombasa, every Saturday and we expect another from Ukraine, which is in the pipeline,” he said.
On Wednesday, the first ever chartered flight from Romania operated by Tarom Air and organised by Kenyan tour company Private Safaris East Africa, touched down at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa, bringing 116 visitors with it.
“The arrival of the flight is a positive step for Kenya as a destination especially during this time when there is minimal international travel globally,” said KTB market development acting director Betty Ichan.
The European market remains one of Kenya’s key source markets for international tourists.
Over the years there has been growth in the European source market as Kenya ventures into the region aggressively.
KTB public relations manager Esther Wausi said the guests checked-in at various hotels at the North and South Coast.
“All of them are taking on safaris. The furthest safari that we have is Amboseli which will be for three days. Then we have quite a number of them that are going to Tsavo,” said Wausi.
The guest will be in Kenya for a week.
The Romanian charter flight will, for this season, have three flights on rotation.
The next flight will be on April 24 and another on June 28.
KTB expects the April 24 flight to have more guests.
“We are expecting more in the months to come because of the interest that has been generated about Kenya by Romanian tourists in their home country,” said Wausi.
-Edited by Sarah Kanyara
