Can Africa's tourism recover from terror threat?

The Paradise Hotel bombing devastated Kenya's tourism industry

African countries are attending the World Tourism Conference in London at a time when warnings have been made about possible terror attacks in Somalia and Sudan.

Their neighbours, Kenya and Tanzania, have suffered most from a decline in tourism, especially since the suicide attack on Paradise Hotel near Mombasa last November.

What can African countries do to encourage western tourists to return?

Is it safe to go on holiday to Kenya and Tanzania?

What about other African countries which rely on tourism?

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Use the form to send us your comments.

A selection will also be broadcast on the BBC's Focus on Africa programme on Saturday 15 November at 1505 GMT.

Is it safe to be in London when Mr. Bush is on a visit? Is is safe to work on Empire state building? Or is it safe to travel from Heathrow Airport? In this day and age I reckon the chances of getting caught in a terrorist attack is higher in the western world compared to the third world nation. The media propaganda causes more damage than the actual threat.
RIMIT LADWA, TANZANIA/ENGLAND

I spent many weeks in Tanzania this summer and saw the damage the travel warnings and BA suspension of flights had to the region. Like everywhere in the world today, it is important to be careful but there is no more risk of going there than spending a day in London or New York. It is sad to see that those suffering most from terrorism are the most vulnerable - the communities depending on tourism in Kenya, Tanzania, Indonesia and elsewhere. The media and home office should pay attention to the damage they are doing to these countries by unnecessarily scaring tourists away.
A Sykes, UK

Tourism can recover as quickly as it can be messed up. It's one of those up-down industries.
Duncan, SA

Kenya is a great place for a holiday, its again a story of the press using stereotypes of the country. Why does the western press always have bad things say about these countries. The British home office didnt write against travelling to the US after september 11th so why do they write against travel to East Africa. These countries only suffer terrorism because of their on the western world and then the western world keeps them in the teeth. its an insult to injury
Paras, UK

It's actually the western world that has the problem not Africa cos they rely on the so called intelligence reports and act on false alarms. But as the case may be more security is needed to encourage the tourists to return since they are used to having that unlike Africa.

As long as Somalia is heaven to terrorists and there is no peace. Kenya and other East African countries will suffer.
Mohammad Abdirashid, Minnesota, USA

It is more than safe to go to Kenya/Tanzania and all other African countries. Anything can happen anywhere, people just fear for nothing and if at all you believe in God then what's the problem?
Lydia Stephen, UK

We run a small air safari business based at Malindi, on the coast of Kenya. Your asserion that the bombing of the Paradise Hotel last November was devestating to Kenya tourism is largely false.

Based on our performance we had the best Christmas season we had had for several years following that tradgic event! What did devastate the industry for the following season was the travel warnings issued by the UK Government and left in force for several months!

This travel warning was based, not on any event, but on so called "intelligence" reports. If the same sources were used that provided the UK with Iraqi intelligence on WMD etc., then the real damage was done not by terror threats but again by poor Western intelligence and knee jerk reaction to these percieved threats.

Of course Kenyan and Tanzanian tourism can recover - there are few, if any, places in the world that offer such a unigue combination of sun, sand, wildlife and wilerness and cultural mix- it's a fabulous holiday destination.

Graham Walsh
Graham Walsh, Kenya

For east Africa recover econimacally and combat terrorism effectively, one has to solve the Somali Dillema. Somalia and somali people are important to the peace and the prosperity of The Horn, and the greater east Africa region.
Nasser, States

Can American tourism recover from terror threat? Since 9/11 has tourism changed for America? Nope? So, why should it be any different for Africa?
delor adams USA

Yes we can recover because our wild animals, flora and sauna, magnificent sceneries and our wonderful people still remains. Where on earth will you ever find Rift Valley.
Macharia, Kenyan in U.K

It is very disheartening for travel warnings to be issued against travelling to Kenya or even Tanzania, the islands of peace in Africa, and which are not even in the top list of contries under threat of terrorists.

It's all about the big master syndrome, who have the money, the voice to speak and be heard, and sabotage the economies of the poor countries so that they can force themto come begging. It's while begging that their hidden agendas surface. A beggar has no choice unless dead.Travel warnings have grounded tourism in Kenya.
Harrahs Malinda, kenya/german

As much as I feel for the loss of revenue due to the lack of tourism, I still can't help that nagging feeling that if a terrorist attack DID occur, it would be the very same people who are attacking the warinings here that would be blaming the government for not warning them.

People have choices, they are informed by these warnings of the potential risks involved in travelling to countries under threat of terrorist attack. No one is holding a gun to the tourists head and saying they should not go.

As for Harrahs Malinda's comment, well I see the race card is still being played.. it gets very old and very boring and quite pathetic. Perhaps Africa could come up with a better (new and improved) means of blackmailing the west.
R Redsand, UK

As in the terrorist attacks, the people who ultimatly suffer the most are the Kenyans and the Tanzanians. In the embassy bombings 12 Americans died, 2 of whom I knew. It makes perfect sense for the UK and US to issue travel warnings to their citizens, but only if they are based on sound evidence.

To take drastic measures without conclusive support is irresponsible for the effects on heavily tourisim dependent economies are disasterous. How much must the people of East Africa suffer.

Instead of helping East Africa to develop, stabalize, and provide security to both its own and to foreign nationals, the Uk and US issue travel warnings. A haven of instability is nearby Somalia and the US, the UK, and the UN should play a larger role in supporting the newly democratically founded yet ineffective government.
Kileken ole-MoiYoi, USA/Kenya/Tanzania

There are many countries with properly developed policies on Tourism like Tunisia, Egypt and South Africa and others should borrow from them.
Isaac Rodrot, Kenya

I live in Tanzania for a number of months every year and know from my own experience that it is not only a breathtakingly beautiful but also a perfectly safe coutry, especially for tourists who travel to remote parks. It is eminently unfair to deprive countries like Tanzania of a crucially important source of income on the basis of what are phantom terrorist threats. "Karibu" - welcome to peaceful Tanzania everyone!
H.J. Schueler, Canada