Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, has announced a phased reopening of the country, including the resumption of international flights from August 1.
Domestic flights will resume on July 15. However, the current nationwide curfew has been extended for a further 30 days.
"In the next 21 days we shall study patterns of interactions and the spread of the disease. If any trends signal a worsening of the pandemic, we will have no choice but to return to lockdown," Kenyatta explained.
The entry and exit ban has ended for Kenya’s two largest cities and the main centres of the epidemic, Nairobi and Mombasa, as well as in Mandera County.
Last week, Kenya was awarded safe travel status by the World Travel and Tourism Council. “This stamp will allow travellers to recognise Kenya as a safe destination once we reopen and implement the health and safety protocols," said Tourism Cabinet Secretary, Najib Balala.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife published health protocols to guide operations for all tourism establishments, facilities, tourists and operators.
"Actors in the tourism sector have therefore, through adoption of these protocols, taken the responsibility of ensuring that destination Kenya is safe for tourism business,” said Balala.
