Travel

Nairobi, Mombasa more popular than Las Vegas with Britons

tourism

Tourists at a beach hotel in Mombasa. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Nairobi and Mombasa are increasing becoming popular summer holiday destinations for Britons than Las Vegas and Cancun, according to a new survey.

Demand for trips to Nairobi are up 156 per cent and to Mombasa by 181 per cent, according to a UK travelling site, Kayak.co.uk.

The site analyses searches made by Britons for trips beyond Europe. It cites July to August as the best times that Britons want to come to Kenya.

In Africa, Nairobi came in second after Lagos, beating Johannesburg and Cape Town. Rwanda which is courting tourists with its gorilla-trekking adventure packages was not among the top 50 countries.

Zanzibar which has been attracting honeymooners seeking seclusion was also not in the list. Demand for trips to Mombasa nearly tripled in just one year, making it more popular than Silicon Valley’s capital San Jose, a cultural and technological gem in the US.

Bobby Kamani, the managing director of Diani Reef Beach Resort said Britons are attracted to Kenya because it offers ‘‘undiluted fun.’’

‘‘With a favourable exchange rate, Kenya is also a fairly inexpensive tourist destination,’’ he said, adding that it has a wonderful tropical climate and visitors are able to enjoy most activities on beaches and in the bush all-year-round.

For Europeans, Kenya is an escape as they search out more exotic destinations, shunning places such as Ibiza in Spain with has over 50 beaches and an ultimate destination for club-goers especially during summer when the world’s top DJs come to the island.

Last year, UK and Germany residents accounted for over half of all tourists coming to Kenya from Europe, according to the Economic Survey 2017.