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Hoteliers fear US-backed Ebola facility will cripple tourism in Kenya
Local tourists enjoy a boat ride in Lake Victoria at Hippo Point in Kisumu, on May 24, 2026.
What you need to know:
- Hoteliers and tourism associations say the plan risks tarnishing Kenya’s image as a safe travel destination.
- Some Western countries have already issued travel advisories against countries at high risk of Ebola.
Tourism stakeholders have opposed plans by the government to establish a US-backed Ebola quarantine and treatment facility in the country, warning that the move could trigger devastating travel advisories, mass booking cancellations and a fresh crisis for the fragile tourism sector.
The proposed isolation and treatment centre is being constructed at the Laikipia Air Base, a plan that hoteliers and tourism associations say risks tarnishing Kenya’s image as a safe global travel destination.
The stakeholders welcomed last week’s High Court decision temporarily halting the project, insisting the facility should be scrapped entirely to protect jobs, investments and the country’s hard-earned tourism recovery.
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) chairperson in Kilifi, Ms Maureen Obunga said the tourism industry is highly sensitive to perception. She said any misstep, such as having an Ebola quarantine centre established in Kenya, could trigger a domino effect that impacts the entire tourism chain.
Health workers dress up in personal protective equipment (PPE) at the Evangelical Medical Center, as agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, in Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo, May 31, 2026.
“The reality is that Western source markets don’t always differentiate between a highly controlled containment facility in Laikipia and the general safety of the rest of the country. To a traveler booking a holiday in London, Frankfurt, or New York, an Ebola headline associated with Kenya is an immediate red flag,” she said.
Ms Obunga, who is also the General Manager of the Malindi Ocean Beach Resort and SPA, noted that the primary product in tourism is peace of mind. According to her, the moment Kenya is even remotely perceived as a regional containment or treatment zone for a highly infectious disease, the industry risks losing to that narrative.
“Western governments operate on a strict abundance of caution. If a facility handles active or high-risk exposures, foreign missions are highly likely to update their travel advisories to include health risk indicators,” said Ms Obunga.
Some Western countries have so far issued travel advisories against countries at high risk of Ebola, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and parts of Uganda.
“We’ve fought incredibly hard to build back our occupancy levels, working hand-in-hand with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) and regional airlines to drive conversion. The Coast relies heavily on seasonal international charters and domestic holidaymakers. A health-related travel advisory would dismantle months of aggressive marketing and product curation in an instant,” Ms Obunga added.
She said that while hoteliers understand and respect international health partnerships, Kenya’s premier economic drivers, chief among them tourism, must not become collateral damage.
“Moving forward, our focus as KAHC will be to closely monitor the ongoing legal proceedings and work alongside the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) to ensure that the voice of the private sector remains unified, clear, and fiercely protective of our destination's hard-won reputation,” said Ms Obunga.
Similar sentiments were made by the General Manager of Travelers Beach Hotel and Spa in Mombasa, Mr Hilary Siele. He reiterated that the Mount Kenya tourism circuit, for instance, would suffer the most since even domestic tourists would avoid the route.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, saliva and sweat from an infected individual.
“Such a facility establishment shouldn’t be allowed in Kenya. I think Congo and Uganda are best suited for the plan since they’re the source of the Ebola virus,” said Mr Siele.
In a statement on Sunday, the Lamu Tourism Association (LTA) chairperson Fridah Njeri said tourism sector players are deeply worried that Western and foreign governments will react predictably by issuing sweeping travel advisories against visiting Kenya. She said they had seen similar situations play out before during previous public health scares and security concerns.
She noted that a negative travel advisory from key source markets such as the US, UK or Europe could instantly trigger mass booking cancellations, stall recovery efforts and devastate local economies.
“While we recognise the critical importance of international medical cooperation and public health preparedness, the design, location and packaging of the entire project present a clear and immediate threat to the recovery and stability of Kenya’s tourism industry,” she said.
Ms Njeri added that the court’s decision offers vital breathing room to evaluate the lack of public participation, environmental impact assessments and clear risk mitigation frameworks for the domestic population and workforce.
She warned the government against trading the multi-billion-shilling tourism economy and millions of local jobs for short-term foreign aid allocations.
She urged the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Tourism to actively engage private sector stakeholders to ensure that any international health agreement protects, rather than paralyses, the Kenyan brand on the global stage.
Mr Mohamed Kassim, a member of the Kwale Tour Guide Operators Association, said the plan to establish an Ebola quarantine centre in the country would drive visitors away. He said Kenya should not be used by foreign countries as a dumping ground, adding that scrapping the planned Ebola infectious disease quarantine centre is the best option.
Mr Ali Omar, a tourist boat operator in Shella, Lamu, questioned why a project with such massive socio-economic implications was being fast-tracked without rigorous public participation.
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