Kenya recorded a 91pc growth in the number of international visitor arrivals into the destination in the period between January – August that stood at 924,812as compared to 483,246 recorded in the same period in 2021 according to data released by the Tourism Research Institute.
The upsurge in the arrival numbers is attributed to the vaccination drive undertaken by the government of Kenya which resulted in the reduction in Covid-19 cases during the period which registered a steady growth.
This improvement is an indication of the continued growth in trust for the Magical Kenya destination, which can be credited to renewed marketing efforts by the Ministry of tourism as well as confidence on the country’s efforts to contain Covid-19.
During an event held to release the performance of the sector’s results for the period between January – August 2021, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Najib Balala said; “The 91% increase translated to Kshs. 167 Billion revenue compared to Kshs. 83 Billion in the previous financial year which indicates that we are on an upward trajectory.
The numbers are still not where we want them to be, but we are optimistic that we shall soon go back to our all-time high international visitor arrivals recorded in 2019, and even surpass it. This is because Covid-19is contained and international travelers are now fully confident to travel.”
During this period, innovative products and marketing efforts were increased to ensure that the destination’s offerings remained competitive among both domestic and international visitors.
The destination continued to host international events that include the Magical Kenya Open and The Magical Kenya Ladies open which came back after a 2-year break. The WRC – Safari Rally which commenced in 2021after a 19-year hiatus also returned in 2022. These events have played a major role in rebuilding the confidence of visitors on destination Kenya.
Out of the 924,812 international arrivals, 313,466 were on holiday, 274,722 visiting family or friends, 258,889for business and Meetings, Incentives, Exhibitions, and Conferences (MICE)- 43883on transit, 16,196 for education, with the rest coming in for other purposes including religion, and sports.
The top 5 international arrivals by country are, USA at 15%, Uganda 9%, United Kingdom9%, Tanzania 8%, and India 6%.
