Nairobi — Tourism
players have warned that the ongoing flights standoff between Kenya and
Tanzania over travel restrictions will have far reaching implications on
the sector and the aviation
industry.
The players have,
therefore, urged Kenya to reconsider its stance regarding Tanzanian
travellers, who are required to quarantine for 14 days when they come to
Nairobi.
Travellers from other countries are just required to present Covid-19 free certificate awarded in under 96 hours.
The tourism players
led by the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) Mohammed Hersi said the
treatment given to Tanzanians is bound to adversely affect tourism and
aviation sectors.
The diplomatic row,
they added, will complicate efforts aimed at reviving the sagging
fortunes of Kenya Airways which has already been banned from Tanzania.
Last week, Dar es Salaam banned three more Kenyan airlines.
Kenyan government, Mr Hersi noted, erred in its decision on Tanzanian travellers .
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"This time round we
are on the wrong and we should quietly swallow our pride and fix this
problem. As long as we continue to exclude Tanzania from the list of the
countries that can visit Kenya without being quarantined then they will
continue doing this and I won't be surprised if this ends with border
closure," warned Mr Hersi.
The KTF chair said the requirement of Covid-19 free certificate should apply to all travellers.
"Why did we exclude
Tanzania? It was an ill-advised move. We cannot have our cake and at
the same time eat it. If Tanzania is not good enough to be on the list
then they just did the natural thing of stopping us also," he said.
"We cannot be going to a neighbour as we wish but choose not to reciprocate."
The Kenyan
government, has however, dug in, reiterating its stand that all tourists
categorised high-risk visiting the country including Tanzanians will
have to undergo 14 days quarantine.
Tourism and
Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, said all borders are still
closed but those visiting through international airports must abide by
the health regulations.
"Our road borders
are still closed but our airspace is opened for both local and
international tourists. However, we have categories from World Health
Organization including high, medium and low risk travellers. High risk
travellers must be quarantined for 14 days," said Mr Balala who was
responding to queries in a webinar session on whether Tanzanians are
allowed into the country through Namanga border.
The webinar with
Africa tourism stakeholders from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and other
countries deliberated on reopening the East Africa circuit
Mr Hersi said Kenya
Airways will be adversely affected by the conflict since it cannot fly
to a lucrative Nairobi-Dar route as KLM, Qatar, Emirates and Ethiopian
airlines reap from the Tanzania.
"Tanzania is our
biggest trading partner and we share one of the longest borders and we
speak the same national language. I appeal to President Uhuru Kenyatta
to step in and help resolve this.With one call I believe he can do it,"
he said.
In a departure from
Kenya's move, Tanzania Tourists Board managing director, Devota Mdachi
said the country does not quarantine any of its tourists who produce
Covid-19 free certificate.
"We are coming up
with a strategy to promote the regional tourism sector. We are happy
that the private tourism sector has come up with special rates to
promote domestic tourism," she said.
Ms Mdachi said in
May, Serengeti national park received less than 20 international
tourists due to the effects of the pandemic but at the end of July, 870
tourists visited the country to witness wildebeest migration.
"Tanzania has a
story to tell Africa and the world. We took a stand to ensure safety and
health of our people as our doors remained opened. A task force was set
up to implement standard operating procedure which has really helped
us. Schools were shut; we sensitised our citizens on how to live with
the virus. We are the first country to open up," she said.
Mr Balala said the measures Kenya has put in place will help stop importation of the virus.
"In Kenya we had
almost a three-month lockdown; other countries have done it while some
were soft about it. But the total lockdown was required and that is
exactly what we in Kenya and most of East African countries did to stop
importation of the virus which was crucial," Mr Balala said.
He urged African nations to harmonise the protocols, coordinate them well and open the borders responsibly.
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