Kenya kidnapping: Travel industry tries to reassure holidaymakers after British couple attacked 'near Lamu'
The travel industry has rushed to reassure worried holidaymakers after the shock killing and kidnapping of a British couple in Kenya.
David and Judith Tebbutt were attacked at night by a gang while staying at a luxury resort in a remote area near the border with Somalia. Mr Tebbutt was shot and killed and his wife has been kidnapped.
Early reporting wrongly claimed the couple were staying at a resort on popular Lamu Island, while many news stories have highlighted the apparent proximity of the resort to the holiday hotspot.
Tourist hotspot: Lamu Island has been named in a lot of reports about the kidnapping
But both the Kenya tourist board and ABTA, The Travel Association, have issued statements reassuring holidaymakers with trips booked to Lamu, that yesterday's tragedy occurred in an incredibly remote area.
The Tebbutts had been staying at the Kiwayu Safari Village resort on a peninsula 55km north of Lamu Island and less than 50km from the Somali border.
Despite its short distance from Lamu, Kiwayu can only be reached by boat or light aircraft and the journey by sea takes two-and-a-half hours.
The archipelago of Lamu has become increasingly popular with tourists in recent years and is served by tour operators such as Africa Sky, Journeys by Design and Tribes.
It is often promoted as a relaxing way to end a safari and a quieter alternative to buzzing Mombasa and Tanzania's archipelago Zanzibar.
Quelling fears: Kiwayu is difficult t! o access from Lamu Island due to its remote location
Angie Sloan, the Kenya Tourist Board's director for the UK and Ireland, told TravelMail it is understandable that holidaymakers are worried following the news of the murder and kidnapping.
But she said the tourist board was working with operators to ensure people had accurate information about the remoteness of the location.
Mombasa, one of the most popular beach areas with foreign visitors, is located around 400km south of where the attack took place and the Kiwayu Safari Village is not near the country's main safari camps.
Kenya's Ministry of Tourism has released a statement condemning the 'senseless act of violence on innocent visitors' to the country.
And it has also sought to reassure holidaymakers that the safety and security of holidaymakers is of 'paramount importance'.
Reassurance: Kiwayu is nearly 400km away from popular Mombasa
The statement said: 'The Ministry of Tourism is working together with the relevant security organisations to ensure that the perpetrators of this crime are brought to justice. A team of security personnel are already on the ground and amassive manhunt of the perpetrators of this heinous act has been launched.
'We further wish to reassure tourists in the coastal border towns and indeed all over the country of the high level security for our tourists.'
Remote: While the Kiwayu Safari Village is a luxury resort, it is also quite remote from many popular Kenya holiday spots
ABTA has also released a statement in an attempt to quell fears.
It said: 'Kenya is generally a safe and hospitable country which attracts thousands of UK holidaymakers. The main safari areas and resorts along the Indian Ocean! which t he vast majority of UK holidaymakers visit, are safe and keen to welcome customers.'
Despite the incident, the Foreign andCommonwealth Office is still only advising against all but essential travel to within 30km of Kenya's border with Somalia, meaning Kiwayu is not coveerd by the ban.
Although it adds that there have been other incidents of Somalis attacking foreigners in Kenya, citing the kidnapping of three aid workers in July 2009 and two western nuns in November 2008.
Its advice on safety in remote areas reads: 'If you are involved in any security incident you should insist with both the Kenyan authorities and your tour operator that the British High Commission be informed straight away.'
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Kenya has become increasingly reliant on its tourism industry, which has boomed in recent years thanks to both its safari offerings and beach resorts.
Many holidaymakers have opted to dual-destination trips, visiting both the coast and wildlife areas such as the Maasai Mara.
In 2010 over one million tourists visited Kenya globally, of which 174,000 were British.
Latest statistics released by the tourist board show that in the first six months of 2011 there were a total of 549,083 visitors globally to Kenya of which 78,785 were British.
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