Travel bookings down 6 per cent over Coronavirus

There was a decline of 6 percent in travel bookings for February and 10 percent to date in March.

This is according to Mohammed Wanyoike, Chairman of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents. He was speaking at a press conference on the state of the travel industry given the effect of Coronavirus prevalence in external tourist generating markets.

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents is the national umbrella body for Travel Agents in Kenya, with a membership of over 200 Travel Agencies.

Wanyoike observed that if the situation continues as is, there could be worse hits than the already recorded ones.

“The coronavirus has caused an unprecedented disruption in the Aviation and Travel industry, leading to a cancellation of flights and rescheduling of passenger travel in recent months. We have also observed a cancellation of major conventions and events in major cities, leading to a major decline in passenger numbers and revenues for the Travel Agents in Kenya,” Wanyoike said.

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“We are expecting this number to increase in the short term as travel restrictions come in to effect to key markets and destinations as witnessed to China, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Italy,” he added.

However, the fears were not expressed in the African market as traveling remains stable among inter-Africa countries.
With all the fear and anxiety around coronavirus, KATA certified agents have advised clients on either re-routing or rebooking for different dates for travel.