London: Kenya's billion dollar tourist industry was hit by a wave of cancellations last week as tribal violence swept the country after disputed elections.
Many European tour companies stopped sending clients to Kenya's idyllic safari parks and beaches, dealing a blow to the East African nation's main source of foreign exchange earnings.
British tour operators cancelled holidays to Kenya and said they would consider early repatriation for holiday makers already there even though the violence has so far spared the main holiday resorts.
"The resorts where they are staying haven't been affected by the trouble but you can't ignore Foreign Office advice and we are not doing so," a British travel spokesman said.
About 290,000 Britons visit Kenya each year.
Clashes
Some 300 people have been killed in clashes between supporters of President Mwai Kibaki and opposition leader Raila Odinga, and many governments are warning against unnecessary travel to Kenya.
French travel agencies suspended trips to Kenya until January 18, the French Tour Operators' Association, which represents more than 70 travel companies, said.
Hungarians, who have taken to beating the winter cold by visiting Kenya, were reported to be switching from the southern coastal report of Mombasa to Zanzibar because of the rioting.
Dutch operators were reported to be repatriating their holidaymakers and Belgium's Jetair said it had suspended all travel packages to Kenya until mid-month.
Competitor Thomas Cook/Neckermann ran its weekly flight last Wednesday to Mombasa, but will only return today to pick them up.
Germany's TUI said customers booked to arrive in Kenya in the next two weeks could change their bookings or cancel them.
