One of the biggest attractions of Kenya remains its rich wildlife in parks like the Maasai Mara National Park, pictured above (India Outbound)
Kenya registered nearly 15 pc rise in its international tourist arrivals in 2024 as the country was visited by 2.4 million international tourists as compared to 2 million visitors that the country received in 2023.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano revealed that the country received 2.4 million international visitors in 2024, compared to 2 million visitors in 2023.
“In 2024, Kenya’s tourism sector reached historic milestones. Our total visitor numbers stood at 7.5 million as we welcomed 2.4 million international visitors. This reflects a 14.6 pc growth from 2023,” says Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary, Tourism and Wildlife.
Rebecca Miano
In a press statement, Kenya Tourism Board says that Miano stated that the top five tourism source markets, including the United States, Uganda, Tanzania, the United Kingdom and India, drove the numbers up.
For example, 306,501 visited Kenya from the United States, representing 12.8 pc of the total international arrivals among the top 5 markets. Uganda and Tanzania followed closely, each recording 225,559 and 203,290 arrivals, respectively.
Tourism being the third largest source of foreign exchange for Kenya, the sector generated the country KES 452.2 billion (USD 3.49 billion) in 2024, up from KES 352.6 billion recorded in 2023.
“The Africa market contributed to 40 pc of the arrivals to the country in the year 2024, with the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) providing 67 pc of the total arrivals,” says a report by Tourism Research Institute.
The continent was followed closely by Europe and America, each representing 28.1 and 15.7 pc, respectively. The others include Asia, Oceania and the Middle East, each representing 12.1 pc, 1.3 pc and 0.8 pc, respectively.
The statement adds that the growth in arrivals has been attributed to government strategies aimed at boosting tourism. In September last year the Ministries of Interior and Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance tourist safety.
This collaboration aimed to improve cooperation with the National Police Service, ensuring a safer environment for both international and domestic tourists, adds the statement.
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