Safari sales soar despite Foreign Office advice
Quarantine ‘astonishingly destructive to communities worldwide,’ claims camp owner
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Your support makes all the difference.A leading African safari business that has decided to open its camps in Kenya despite Foreign Office advice claims to have tapped into “huge pent-up demand” for adventure travel.
Paul Goldstein, co-owner of Kicheche Safari Camps in the Masai Mara, said that customers have committed tens of thousands of pounds to experience Africa’s wildlife at a time when there are precious few tourists.
“While there are fewer tourists here now than at any time in living memory, the Mara continues to move to nature's hypnotic rhythm,” he said.
His company took the decision to restart international operations despite the Foreign Office continuing to warn against travel to most countries – including Kenya.
The country opened its borders to tourists in August. All visitors must produce a negative test for Covid-19 conducted within four days of the flight to Kenya.
According to the latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Kenya has about one-eighth the infection rate of the UK.
But the Foreign Office warns against travel to the whole of Africa.
The FCDO says: "This advice is being kept under constant review. Travel disruption is still possible and national control measures may be brought in with little notice.”
One Kicheche customer wrote: “The five of us are really looking forward to our safari at Bush Camp later in September, this year.
“Can we have James as our guide again please? We have our virus test booked, we have travel insurance and work from home so see no reason not to travel because of this silly unenforced quarantine.”
Mr Goldstein said: “None of us would encourage or condone behaviour detrimental to public health, but it's clear that all-or-nothing government quarantine policy is not only ineffective but also astonishingly destructive to communities worldwide dependent on tourism for their livelihoods.
“That so many individuals and families are now conducting their own intelligent, nuanced risk assessments and taking the appropriate and prudent measures to ensure the safety of themselves and others is both encouraging and testament, perhaps, to common sense and shrinking faith in government policy.
“Many people have had enough of being pushed around by a government chucking out quarantine and blanket advisories like confetti.”
A UK government spokesperson said: “We are taking clear and decisive action to slow the spread of the virus and save lives. We keep the data for all countries and territories under constant review.”
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