Travel from the UK to Kenya has not been impacted by the attack on a British couple staying at luxury Kiwayu Safari Village, according to reports.

The Kenya Tourist Board met with airlines and tour operators in London to open discussions around the impact of the attack in which David Tebbutt was murdered and his wife Judith kidnapped on Sunday.

Tour operators and airlines have indicated that there have not been any cancellations to the destination and that bookings have not been affected to date.

On behalf of The Kenya Tourist Board, spokesperson Jonathan Sloan explains: “People who have booked holidays still want to go and are reluctant to change their plans at short notice, especially as airlines and tour operators are unlikely to give a refund to anyone cancelling. He added: “Secondly, Kenya is a big country – almost the size of France – and Kiwayu is incredibly isolated.”

A statement from the Kenya Tourist Board added: “We further wish to reassure tourists in the coastal border towns and indeed all over the country, that the government has proper machinery in place to ensure high level security for our tourists.”

It is thought that a gang raided the couple’s beach cottage in the early hours of Sunday morning after a tip off that a Western couple were on the isolated island resort. The search for Judith Tebbutt, who is thought to be deaf, is still underway,

The Kiwayu resort, which is popular with celebrities such as Tracy Emin and Imelda Staunton, is just 28 miles or 45 km from the Somali border.

Over 160,000 British visitors arrived in Kenya last year, according to figures from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). The FCO advises against all but essential travel to within 30km of the Somali border.