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Fort Jesus World Heritage site incurred an estimated Sh25.5 million loss following its closure six months ago after Covid-19 struck the country; Fort’s Principal Curator Fatma Twahir has said.

 According to the curator, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage lost Sh10 million in the month of August, this being the highest loss.

“We normally received between 23,000 and 50,000 visitors every season. Mostly in April we get about 23,000 visitors and in 50,000 in August  and in the August season we normally get up to Sh10 million.

This year we have not been lucky because of the closure. Whatever we get is normally used for conservation of site and other activities in our site,” explained Twahir.

Financial loss

Beside the financial loss, the curator also noted that closure of the site also meant that there was no more hosting of social functions and exhibition of artifacts by local and upcoming artists at the site for free.

“At the same time photographers, tour guides and those who sell foodstuffs had no jobs while the site was closed,” she said.

Twahir however said there is renewed hope following the reopening of the site yesterday and called on Kenyans to visit the site saying the doors are now open for visitors again.

She said all the health measures have been put in place to ensure safety of visitors touring the site.

“We have devised mechanisms of coming up with virtual programs… We are now using the internet to educate the world on the culture and history domiciled in this site.

This means that a visitor can access the site virtually without necessarily coming to Fort Jesus,” she said: