NAIROBI – I-Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) izwakalise ukuthi inethemba lokudlula isibalo sabavakashi abayisigidi kulo nyaka.
UMqondisi Ophethe we-KTB, u-Mureithi Ndegwa, uthe ngoLwesibili izilinganiso zabavakashi zikhomba ukuthi abafika kuleli badlula labo abake babonwa ngo-2007, okuwunyaka wokuma kweKenya wabavakashi abaningi kakhulu abafikayo.
“Sibheka izibalo kusukela ngoJanuwari kuya kuJuni (futhi) sibona amathuba okuthi singenza kangcono kakhulu kuno-2007,” kusho uMnu Ndegwa.
Izibalo ze-KTB zikhombisa ukuthi abafikayo ezinyangeni eziyisithupha zokuqala bakhule ngamaphesenti angama-20.5 baya ku-403,996, uma kuqhathaniswa nabafika abangu-400,362 okwafakazelwa ngabo ngo-2007.
Ngo-2007, izwe lazuza u-R63.5 billion kubavakashi abayizi-1,048,732. Ukukhula kulo mkhakha nokho kuphazanyiswe imiphumela ehlangene yodlame lwangemva kokhetho kanye nenkinga yezimali emhlabeni wonke eyanciphisa izinsiza zokuhamba.
Imiphumela yekota yokuqala ka-2010 ekhishwe ngoMeyi ikhombise ukuthi le mboni iqophe ukwenyuka ngamaphesenti ayi-16 kwabafika kwamanye amazwe.
UMnu Ndegwa uthe lokhu kukhula kubangelwe yimizamo yokuhlukahluka kwezimakethe ebone izimakethe ezisafufusa ezifana neChina kanye nesifunda (se-Arabian) Gulf zidlala indima enkulu kanye nezimakethe zemithombo yendabuko.
Okuthakasela kakhulu i-KTB ukwanda kwenani labahambi bebhizinisi abaya ezweni.
“Linyukile inani labavakashi mayelana nenhloso yokuvakasha nabahambela amabhizinisi bekhula kakhulu,” esho kodwa akakwazanga ukusho izibalo eziqondile.
U-MD usheshe waphonsela inselelo ababambiqhaza bemboni ukuthi bathuthukise izindawo zabo ngomzamo wokuheha izivakashi eziningi.
“Esikuzwayo mayelana nokuhlaliswa kwemibhede ukuthi izinto sezinyukela phezulu nakuba kusengenzeka,” usho kanje.
