Although there has reportedly been minimal impact to tourists in Kenya, as the unpredictable protests in the East African country continue, there has been an impact on bookings, according to operators Tourism Update spoke to.

The anti-government street demonstrations resumed last week after a two-week hiatus as the Generation Zs demand more reforms in government. At first, the demonstrations were about the controversial Finance Bill which was later withdrawn by President William Ruto.

As the protests continued, there were more demands for government reforms, including calls to sack the Cabinet. Ruto has been working to meet demands, and has called for a national dialogue in a bid to bring peace and end the protests but the protesters, mainly the youth, are increasingly demanding more.

This has caused reputational damage to Kenya, with embassies from major source markets, such as the US, issuing travel advisories to their citizens on travelling to Kenya. 

“The current protests are of a kind never witnessed in Africa before. They are driven primarily by Generation Z and do not ascribe to any ethnic or political affiliation. The demonstrations occurred on specific named days and mainly in urban areas. The impact on tourism has been minimal,” explained Fred Odek, Chairman of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators and the Kenya Tourism Federation.

He added that following “the initial uncertainty” there were some cancellations reported by a few operators. However, according to Odek, once it became apparent that tourists were not in any way targeted, tour operators were able to manage the bookings.

Odek said bookings were still coming in. “It also helps that all the major airports and airstrips as well as the trains are all operating normally,” he added.

City centre hotels impacted

However, there are others in the industry, particularly hotels in the city centres, that have been negatively impacted, especially in cities like Nairobi and Mombasa where the protests took place.

“There is a definite slow down in business,” said Anthony Chege, GM Serena Hotels Nairobi.

Mercy Muhindi, Public Relations Manager, Safari Park Hotel & Casino Nairobi, agreed, stating: “There has been a major reduction in our business in terms of client bookings and also in anticipated revenue by 30% to 42%. Conferences and meetings have either been cancelled, postponed or rescheduled at short notice.”

Nairobi-based Mövenpick Hotel and Residences is another hotel that has been affected by the recent demonstrations.

“We have seen a significant number of cancellations both from individual guests as well as organisations as most travellers are prioritising their safety above all else. This challenge is not just for us, the entire hospitality industry is currently grappling with these challenges,” said Randy Ngala,Marketing and Communications Manager at Mövenpick.

Hotels at the coast are grappling with the same challenge of cancellations. “All MICE businesses and corporates come from Nairobi and we currently have zero business,” said Hillary Siele, GM of Travellers Beach Hotel & Club in Mombasa.

Longer-term impact feared

Over the last two years, Nairobi has hosted several global meetings which has led to increased earnings in the city hotels. Data from the Ministry of Tourism for 2023 indicated that MICE travel accounted for 24% or 461 042 of the total 1.9 million arrivals into the country. There were plans to increase the number to one million by 2030. Achieving this number would increase MICE revenue to around $157m by 2030.

With the ongoing demonstrations, stakeholders fear that this will negatively affect the sector in the longer term, as major events have been postponed.

These include the Intergovernmental Standing Committee on Shipping Assembly of Ministers, Young African Leaders Initiative and the Alumni Trade Fair and Expo.

“The ongoing demonstrations are taking place just when tourism is picking up. The negative press and social media postings in key overseas markets is damaging Kenya's reputation as a safe destination,” said Dr Joseph Kithitu, Chairman of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents.  

“It’s not just the MICE sector that is affected but also leisure which relies on tourist security and stability. The riots could derail the growth of 5,5m international arrivals by 2028,” said Kithitu.

According to Kenya Association of Hotel Keepers and Caterers (KAHC) CEO Mike Macharia, the protests have an adverse effect on tourism as the international market is becoming jittery.

He pointed out that while business is largely continuing as usual there have been cancellations. “Cancellations could have a huge impact on the country's travel and tourism industry, which heavily depends on the international market. Tourism is a key foreign exchange earner for the country. We are urging our clients to continue with their visits,” Macharia said.

The sector has called for an end to the protests and for the government to resolve the conflict as a matter of urgency.