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U.S. State
Department lightens Kenya Travel Warning
Travel Warning verbiage
lightened to warning Americans from "non-essential
travel "to "remaining vigilant."
NAIROBI, KENYA: Due
increased security measures put in place by the
Kenya government and no incident of terrorism or
internal strife since the warning has been put in
place last May 2003, the US State Department has
lightened the warning against non-essential travel
to Kenya. On May 21, 2004, the State Department
re-released the Travel Warning for Kenya lightening
the verbiage from cautioning "American citizens
against non-essential travel" to the country to a
lightened caution for "American citizens in Kenya
to evaluate their personal security situation in
light of the current terrorist threat.".
The Kenyan government
continues to work directly with the U.S. government
to ensure the safety of visitors and Kenyan
citizens is top priority. Since the U.S. Travel
Warning has been put in place, there has been no
terrorist incident in the region and tight security
measures have been put in place, which are
currently active.
"Since the Travel Warning,
Americans have been traveling throughout Kenya
freely and without incident." stated Dr.
Ongongía Achieng, Managing Director of the
Kenya Tourist Board. "We look at this lightening of
the Warning as a good sign that we are working in
the right direction with the U.S. State Department.
We know that our infrastructure has been completely
revamped and we are confident we have made the
changes necessary to ensure traveler and citizen
safety." http://www.MagicaKenya.com
.
Dr. Achieng added his
disappointment to the travel Warning not being
lifted to a Public Announcement. "We have had no
incident since the Warning has been put in place
and our security is at this highest level of
vigilance it has ever been at. Therefore, the
rewording of the Warning still dilutes the many
efforts we have proven we have made to ensure
traveler security and safety. We had hoped for the
Warning to be changed to a Public Announcement. So
this is still a great disappointment."
Tourism remains Kenya's
second largest industry, making the issue of the
Travel Warning and traveler safety top priority for
the government and citizens. "In the past
year-and-a-half, we have made incredible strides in
securing borders, tightening airport security,
replacing radar and security equipment in our
airports, creating a tourism police task force and
widening the reach of our Tourism Safety Center,
which allows any visitor traveling with organized
tours or staying at any of Kenya's hotels to be in
direct reach of emergency personnel countrywide. We
are proud of these strides and will continue to
keep doing everything we can to ensure even greater
security measures for visitors and citizens alike."
said Raymond Matiba, Chairman of the Kenya Tourist
Board.
"Although we would like to
see the warning removed, we do feel this is a good
step forward in regaining tourists from the United
States market." stated Matiba. For more information
on travel to Kenya, please contact the Kenya
Tourist Board in the United States at: 866-44-KENYA
or at infousa@magicalkenya.com.
About the Kenya Tourist
Board: The Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) is an
organization representing Kenya's public and
private tourism sectors. The KTB is charged with
the responsibility of marketing and promoting Kenya
as a preferred tourist destination internationally,
while encouraging development of Kenya's domestic
tourist market. The KTB fosters quality service and
sustained excellence of tourist facilities and
amenities. In addition, the KTB works with national
and regional authorities to ensure protection of
the environment and wildlife, and also works
closely with various relevant organizations to
promote quality of service and excellence. The
Board members are representatives of Kenya's
various tourism organizations, including Kenya's
Ministry of Tourism and Information, Kenya
Association of Tour Operators, Kenya Association of
Travel Agents, Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers
and Caterers, Mombasa and Coast Tourist
Association, and Kenya Airways. The KTB is
headquartered in Nairobi. For more information,
visit
http://www.MagicaKenya.com
.
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