Kenya experienced a 15 percent increase in foreign tourist arrivals in 2024, totaling 2.4 million, compared to 2.09 million in 2023, as reported by a government official on Wednesday.
According to Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, there was a significant rise in earnings from inbound tourism, which surged by 19.8 percent to 452.2 billion shillings (approximately 3.49 billion U.S. dollars), up from 2.92 billion dollars in the previous year.
Kenya has reportedly experienced a 15 percent increase in foreign tourist arrivals in 2024, totaling 2.4 million, compared to 2.09 million in 2023, the official said, adding that the country’s government is committed to enhancing public-private partnerships and implementing policies and initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable growth and competitiveness within the sector in the ever-evolving global tourism market.
The initiatives aimed at diversifying tourism products and advancing digital transformation have enabled Kenyan tourism authorities to accommodate a variety of visitor preferences and expand their reach to a broader audience via online platforms.
Miano also added that the growth of the African source market has been remarkable and continues to play a pivotal role in a dynamic shift that is essential for promoting intra-regional integration and economic development.
“Given the current trends and our strategic growth initiatives, we are optimistic that Kenya is on track to receive 3 million visitors by 2025, which could yield 560 billion shillings in tourism revenue,” Rebecca Miano said during the presentation of Kenya’s 2024 tourism performance report in Mombasa.
The report indicates that the United States remains Kenya’s leading source market, representing 12.8 percent of total arrivals with 306,501 visitors. Following the U.S., Tanzania and Uganda contributed 8.4 percent and 9.4 percent of arrivals, respectively, highlighting the strong intra-regional travel within the East African Community.
Notably, Tanzania experienced the most significant increase, with an additional 42,133 arrivals, while China saw a substantial rise of 29,085 visitors.
The United States, Somalia, Italy, and Uganda also recorded considerable growth, emphasizing the global attraction of Kenya’s varied tourism offerings, as stated in the report.
