The Ministry of Tourism is rolling out a new strategy aimed at increasing international tourist arrivals to five million by 2027.
This goal will be supported by the upcoming launch of the “Tembea Kenya” campaign, designed to boost the current annual arrivals from around two million.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano revealed the plan while addressing tourism stakeholders at an event in Nairobi. The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) reported that in the first half of this year, Kenya generated KSh 142.5 billion in tourism revenue, aided by a notable rise in visitor numbers.
“This happens mainly through participation in local and international events, campaigns, policy advocacy, and in creating innovative tourism products and experiences,” Miano said.
“During my interaction with the tourism sector stakeholders this afternoon, I made a commitment to build strong linkages with the private sector and to make the tourism industry the number one contributor of foreign exchange earnings and job creation,” she said.
Kenya welcomed 1.03 million international visitors during this period, a 21.3 percent increase from the 847,810 visitors recorded in the same last year. This growth translated to a revenue increase from $1.06 billion in the same period last year.
Domestic tourism also saw growth, with 2.25 million bed nights recorded, about a 10 percent increase from 2.06 million bed nights in the previous year.