No new story since this morning's Ebola brief — so here's what we re-checked at midday, and what's moving.

🏨 EA HOSPITALITY PULSE — Midday Pulse
📅 Wednesday, 5 August 2026 | 🇰🇪🇹🇿🇺🇬🇷🇼

No new story since this morning's Ebola brief — so here's what we re-checked at midday, and what's moving underneath.
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1️⃣ FORECAST CHECK-IN: KENYA'S AIR-TRAVEL TAXES POINT UP, NOT DOWN
Our standing call P016 — Kenya will not cut the air passenger service levy before end-2027 — isn't just holding, the direction is the opposite. Kenya has spent the past year RAISING, not trimming, the cost of flying in: the Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Act, signed 15 Oct 2025, handed the Transport CS standing power to vary the charge and put the international levy on a path toward US$50 and domestic to KSh600 (per ATTA / Kenyan Wall Street). The 2026 fiscal debate over removing VAT relief on aircraft parts pushes landed and fare costs the same way. This is structure, not breaking news — but it's the structure your guests' airfares sit on.
🎯 So what: for city and safari properties whose guests fly in, budget airlift-linked costs — fares, transfers, connecting-flight fees — as flat-to-rising into the Sept–Oct peak. Don't model a cheaper-ticket tailwind into demand; if anything, the tax base is working against lead-in fares. Call stays open, thesis strengthening.
🏷 City/Bush | Kenya | Reported

2️⃣ STILL TRUE AT MIDDAY: THE ADVISORY BOARD HASN'T MOVED
Overnight the US State Department re-issued its entire advisory feed at once (04 Aug 23:54 EAT) — but re-issue is not re-rating. The Rwanda notice records it plainly: "no change to the advisory level," the three risk areas merely consolidated into one. US board stands: Kenya L2, Tanzania L3, Zanzibar L3, Uganda L4, Rwanda L3. UK unchanged: Kenya L2, Tanzania/Zanzibar L1, Uganda L3, Rwanda L2.
🎯 So what: a bulk re-stamp that reads as "breaking" in a search feed is exactly the trap that moves nobody's booking. No basis to change security messaging or discount on advisory grounds today.
🏷 All | Regional | Confirmed

3️⃣ MICE WATCH: THE NEXT CITY COMPRESSION IS TWO WEEKS OUT
Hotel Expo Kenya lands 19–21 Aug at KICC Nairobi — a three-day city-centre trade event (100+ exhibitors in 2025, organiser figure) sitting just ahead of the Sept–Oct peak. It's a midweek exhibitor-and-buyer window, not a citywide sell-out, but it's real demand into the CBD and Upper Hill.
🎯 So what: Nairobi city hotels near KICC should hold corporate rate through 19–21 Aug rather than discounting into the shoulder. The bigger compression — MKTE, 10,000+ delegates, 6–8 Oct — is the one to be closing out standard rate against now.
🏷 City | Kenya | Confirmed
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📡 WEEK AHEAD
• Fri 8 Aug — CBK weekly bulletin (FX, reserves)
• Tue 12 Aug — US CDC §362 entry order expires; watch renewal + Uganda listing (P044/P023/P031/P032 resolve)
• Fri 15 Aug — EPRA fuel review (P025/P028 resolve)
• Mon 18 Aug — WHO IHR Emergency Committee on Bundibugyo
• 19–21 Aug — Hotel Expo Kenya, KICC Nairobi

📡 RADAR: 603 in-window observations since 4 Aug 18:00. Top of the feed was a full US advisory re-issue — all no-change, noise for our market. Local scan health read 0/0 (a post-restore artifact, not a dead pipeline). Nothing new cleared the gate at midday.

🔗 This edition on the web: https://eahospitalitypulse.com/editions/pulse-2026-08-05-midday.html
— EA Hospitality Pulse | Daily intelligence for city, bush & beach properties