High visa fees will 'Kill' Kenya hub

THE good news is that Kenya
has done away with biometric
requirements for visas,
eliminating the need for SA
travellers to apply for a visa
in person at the embassy in
Pretoria. The bad news is that
travellers will have to cough up
for a visa – a major deterrent,
say tour ops.
Applicants travelling to or
transiting through Kenya must
pay a service charge of R750
for single-entry visits lasting no
longer than 30 days. Charges
for a single-entry visa for visits
lasting longer than 30 days are
R750 service charge and R500
visa fee. For a multiple-entry
visa valid for 12 months, there
is a R750 service charge, R150
application fee and R1 200
visa fee.
Lance Zackey, sales and
marketing of Rove Africa, says
the Kenya visa situation is a
“nightmare” that is hurting
the destination. “This is
probably the last straw for
many travellers.” He says hefty
visa fees have already started
having a negative impact on
the SA market. Travellers have
started weighing up whether
Kenya is still a good idea or if
they should consider cancelling
and looking at a similar
alternative, he says.
John Addison, director of
Wild Frontiers, has also seen a
major drop in demand for Kenya
as a result of the added cost.
He says many clients have
changed their bookings from
Kenya in favour of Tanzania.
He adds that the incentive
market is also heavily affected,
with multiple cancellations for
Mombasa.
The requirements for transit
visas are also leading to
confusion. Tour operators have
been told travellers can only
obtain a single transit visa in
SA and will have to apply for a
return transit visa when they
arrive at their destination, at
the Kenya High Commission
of that destination. Although
the Kenyan High Commission
call centre confirmed this
information to TNW, the Deputy
High Commissioner in SA,
Helen Gichuhi, assured TNW
that passengers were able to
apply for a double transit visa
from South Africa.
John says most travellers will
have to use a visa company
as payment needs to be made
at the embassy. Travellers
will therefore have to add
approximately R570 service
fee to the R750 one-way transit
visa fee and will be looking at
R2 640 for a return transit visa.
John says the transit costs
have pushed Wild Frontiers
to actively try to get clients to
their destination without flying
via Nairobi. “This will simply kill
Kenya Airways in South Africa,”
he told TNW.
Lance agrees and foresees
a major drop in passenger
numbers on Kenya Airways’
flights from South Africa. He
says last year airlines flying
into Kenya agreed to lower their
fares to promote travel to the
destination. “This, however,
has now come to nothing as
passengers are going to find
alternative flights. They are
not going to be willing pay the
transit visa just for the privilege
of flying via Nairobi.”
Kenya Airways did not respond
to requests for comment at the
time of going to print.