Worried Callers Reflect Africa Safety Concerns

Several U.S. tour operators that book trips to Africa say they haven’t yet seen a rash of cancellations following the killings of eight tourists in Uganda two weeks ago. But they do report a flurry of worried calls, and expect some tourists to cancel African trips. Meanwhile, Uganda has been scratched off tour operators’ itineraries altogether for at least two months.

In Kenya, officials reported that some tour groups have canceled trips, and they scrambled to assure tourists that Kenya is safe.

Glendale-based African Travel Inc., which sends about 6,000 people a year to sub-Saharan Africa, had just eight people scheduled in Uganda over the next couple of months, said vice president Anne Bellamy. All eight canceled.

As for South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, the company tells clients “we feel they are in no way in danger--at least not from the same source,” she said. The tourists were killed--some hacked to death--by Rwandan rebels who crossed into Uganda near Bwindi National Park, used as a base from which to visit the mountain habitats of gorillas.

Illinois-based outfitter Abercrombie & Kent International Inc. has shut down its Bwindi lodge until at least May 1, said spokeswoman Christa Brantsch. Most of its 20 clients who planned to visit Uganda in that period have re-booked for other parts of Africa, she added.