Kenya Tourist Board - Flight Ban and Travel Advisory

In May 2003, suspecting an imminent terrorist threat against an airline the British Department of Transport and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FOC) issued a flight ban and a ‘don’t travel’ advisory against Kenya, which caused an immediate and drastic effect on tourism arrivals. Hills Balfour set up a standing committee, provided media training for the Kenyan Minister of Tourism and guided an intensive high profile airline PR programme for him to broadcast Kenya’s view on events to all the major consumer and trade media outlets. The issue of visitors ‘safety’ in the context of increased security was discussed between the key parties and the flight ban and the travel advisory were removed in June and August 2003 respectively.

Following these events, Hills Balfour became a member of an Advisory Committee to change the Travel Advisory system which had caused so much damage to tourism industries world-wide. With Hills Balfour’s representation and airline PR, Kenya has continued to thrive as a tourist destination. Tourism arrivals from the UK have more than doubled since 2003.

www.magicalkenya.com