Starting January 2022, Kenyans will be required to present a vaccine passport before flying out of the country.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said that they are working in partnership with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in readiness for vaccine passport.
The vaccine passport is similar to a yellow fever vaccine certificate issued to every passenger flying out of the country.
The proposed vaccine certificate will be similar to the yellow fever vaccine certificate that Kenyans use when traveling, facilitating their travel beginning in 2022.
“There will be a vaccination card just like the one for yellow fever being pushed by IATA. We are continuing to consult with them. At the moment we cannot say that people need to be vaccinated to travel. But soon it will be,” CS Balala said according to Citizen.
This according to Balala will boost Kenya’s tourism as operations resume. A good number of European countries have vaccinated their people for Covid-19.
“They are working hard to vaccinate as many Kenyans and all frontline workers in the Tourism and Hospitality to encourage more tourists to come into the country,” he added.
With the second lockdown in the country, tourism has dipped leaving players in the industry reeling in losses.
Following a second lockdown imposed in March weeks to Easter holidays, hoteliers in the industry were greatly hurt as 80% of previous bookings were cancelled.
Five counties were locked down due to a high number of Covid-19 cases. Nairobi, Kajiado, Machakos, Nakuru and Kiambu had cessation of movement imposed. A dusk to dawn curfew was imposed from 8 pm to 4 am.
At least 5,000 vaccines targeting tourists have been released with frontline workers in the hospitality industry being on the frontline in the first round.
