Kenya: KATA demands financial support for travel industry amid COVID-19 restrictions

Several travel companies in Kenya have urged the government for financial support to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in a statement issued on Wednesday, according to a report by Ecofin Agency. 

Mohammed Wanyoike, the head of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), called the state government to coordinate in the statement, he said: "we call on policymakers to continue discussions and agree on coordinated measures that are necessary for the successful start of travel even as they strive to improve the country's epidemiological situation […] We urge the government to particularly pay attention to the vulnerable travel industry in the recovery phase, to not only save small businesses but to save jobs as well".

Close to that of tourism and hotel, the travel industry has suffered a heavy loss due to the pandemic, across the world. In Kenya where many SMEs are operating in the travel sector, the restrictive measures extended to control the spread of the virus have led to heavy financial losses for entrepreneurs in 2020.

Lately, these measures have been tightened in the capital city, Nairobi, and other four Kenyan counties, following the suspension of all domestic flights by Kenya Airways.

KATA's response to the situation involves a halt on lending to businesses that are struggling to return to pre-COVID-19 gains. "We need a framework of coordination of travel restrictions that will not kill the travel businesses in Kenya, which includes a common criterion that seeks to facilitate continued travel rather than impede it,” Wanyoike said.

In June 2022, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) also urged the government for the same support for the industry followed by USD 92 million credit guarantee facility for businesses from the state government.