Richard Branson slams UK over Kenya travel advisories
Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson at a past news conference. The British billionaire has slammed foreign governments for issuing travel advisories against Kenya, saying they create a wrong impression about the country and risk destroying its economy. PHOTO|FILE
What you need to know:
The businessman said the travel advisories were hurting Kenyan’s tourism sector and, by extension, the economy, adding that decreased business was the reason his airline pulled out of Kenya in 2012.
Nairobi. British billionaire Richard Branson has slammed foreign governments for issuing travel advisories against Kenya, saying they create a wrong impression about the country and risk destroying its economy.
In a posting on his Virgin Group website, Sir Richard said governments should never publish travel advisories warning their citizens against visiting another country, saying this played into the hand of terrorists.
The businessman said the travel advisories were hurting Kenyan’s tourism sector and, by extension, the economy, adding that decreased business was the reason his airline pulled out of Kenya in 2012.
“While the government has a responsibility to highlight facts, advising against all non-essential travel could destroy Kenya’s economy,” he said, mentioning the UK Foreign Office, which recently issued such a warning.
“This is effectively a ban on travel, rather than leaving people to make up their own minds... They are giving the false impression that Kenya is too dangerous to visit.” Sir Richard is an investor in Kenya’s hospitality industry having opened a luxury tented camp in Maasai Mara last year.
