- The Middle-East market is showing great potential as the period from January to March 2023 witnessed a 20 percent jump in arrivals.
- Building on this positive trajectory, Kenya aims to expand the Middle-East market by 30 percent by June 2024.
- Authorities are leveraging partnership with Kenya Airways, travel agents, and private sector players.
Tourist numbers from the Middle East are registering an impressive pattern in Kenya, pointing to a key emerging source of holidaymakers, a trajectory that could drive arrival numbers, shoring up the country’s forex earnings.
To drive international arrival numbers, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is strategically positioning itself. The latest developments indicate KTB is harnessing recently-launched Mombasa and Dubai direct flights to woo tourists. With wide offerings for Mombasa-bound holidaymakers, Kenya could tap Middle-East market and boost inbound tourism.
Rising tourist numbers from the Middle East
The Middle East market is showing an immense potential on boosting Kenya’s tourism sector. In the period to March, Kenya recorded 20 percent increase in arrivals, totaling 4,070 compared to the previous year.
By building on this trajectory, KTB targets growing arrival numbers from the Middle-East by 30 percent by June 2024. Already, the agency is leveraging partnership with Kenya Airways, travel agents, and private sector players.
“The Middle-East market holds significant potential for the tourism sector. It is a high-spending market, and Kenya’s proximity to the Middle East, with a short-haul flight duration of just five hours, makes it an easily accessible,” KTB Director Victor Shitakha said.
Moreover, national carrier Kenya Airways operates direct flights connecting freewheeling Dubai and Mombasa four times a week. This ensures convenience and seamless travel experiences for the target holidaymakers.
Shitakha is also banking on aligning of Kenya’s tourism offerings with the preferences of Middle-Eastern travelers. This includes leisure-city breaks, adventure, wildlife and safari, business, and visiting friends and relatives.
Kenya best destination for Middle East tourists
“KTB values its partnerships with travel agencies and is committed to exploring further avenues for growth and development in the Middle-East market. Together with industry stakeholders, the aim is to position Kenya as the ultimate destination of choice for travelers from the Middle East and beyond, showcasing the country’s unparalleled hospitality and diverse tourism products,” he said.
He was speaking during a familiarisation trip to the coastal region of Kenya for a group of travel agents from the Middle East. The mission was organised by KTB in partnership with flag carrier Kenya Airways. The initiative was in recognition of the immense opportunities presented by the Middle-East market.
The primary objective of this trip was to showcase the diverse range of attractions and experiences that Kenya has to offer, positioning it as the ultimate travel destination for Middle East travelers.
The industry players said there is increasing demand for leisure travel on the newly launched Dubai-Mombasa route.
The travel agents embarked on an enchanting journey from Mombasa, and ventured into iconic destinations of Amboseli, Tsavo West and East National Parks, Taita, Malindi, Watamu, and Diani beaches.
On her part, Peninah Nyokabi, Kenya Airways sales executive said: “We recognise the tremendous demand for travel to the coastal region by the Middle East market. Previously, the travel agents used to sell Mombasa via Nairobi, but with the introduction of direct flights to Mombasa, we are confident that it will significantly boost travel into these destinations.”
Showcasing Kenya’s unique offerings
The familiarisation trip was designed to enhance travel agents’ knowledge of about the stunning attractions and experiences in Mombasa and Tsavo.
“This firsthand experience will enable them to better showcase and sell the unique offerings to their clients,” Ms Nyokabi said.
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Travel agent Swapna Shabeer of Dubai-based Xperienz Travel and Holidays said: “We are really delighted to have experienced the beauty and hospitality of Kenya. The diverse landscapes, incredible wildlife, and warm culture have left an indelible mark on our hearts.”
According to Shabeer, Kenya has undoubtedly earned its place as a top destination on the travel bucket list.
“We look forward to sharing our unforgettable experiences with our clients and encouraging more travelers from the Middle East to explore the wonders of Magical Kenya. We will be working closely with KTB to come up with exciting packages that we are going to be offering to our clients,” Shabeer said.
As part of its strategy, KTB is calling for collaborative efforts among Kenyan tour operators. The agency says liaison is critical in developing exciting offerings across all segments in tapping the Middle East market.
The development of Kenya’s distribution channels through strong and effective partnerships, exemplified by the successful familiarisation trip, will enhance the awareness of the Magical Kenya brand and drive increased sales conversions during prime travel periods, KTB explained.
America remains Kenya’s top tourists’ source
Last year, at least 209,360 Americans traveled to Kenya, maintaining its status as the country’s leading source of international tourists. Uganda remained in second place with 151,121 arrivals, while the UK was the third largest source of visitors with 131,526.
The US numbers were, however, at 82 percent of 2019, when 245,437 Americans landed in Kenya. Certainly, the country looks set to attain pre-covid numbers.
Tourists from the UK also showed significant recovery at 72 percent of the 181,484 visitors recorded in 2019.
With 123,836 Tanzania tourists, India (83,106), Germany (53,498), Rwanda (48,232), and Somalia (40,133) these were Kenya’s top ten source markets. Neighbouring Ethiopia fell off the list with just 36,581 arrivals, Economic Survey 2023 shows. Twelve of the top 30 source markets were from Europe, which accounted for 40 percent of total arrivals.
Thousands of travellers from France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium visited Kenya last year. In the period, newer and promising tourist sources included Canada, China, Australia, and the UN.
Kenya also saw a rise in visitors from South Sudan, Nigeria, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, and Zimbabwe. Interestingly, these were dividends from Nairobi’s move of inking bilateral visa-free travel agreement.
Visitor arrivals for meetings, conferences
About 1.5 million visitors came to Kenya for various reasons last year. The post pandemic recovery signals the East African economic powerhouse’ push to promote itself as the region’s top tourist destination. A total of 543,458 people, or 36.63 percent of total arrivals, visited Kenya for a vacation during the year.
This was followed by family and friend visits, which accounted for 27.8 percent of all arrivals, or 413,180 people. Visitors to Kenya for business-related meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions numbered 404,183 (27.24 percent) of all arrivals.
There were also a substantial number of tourists for educational, medical, and sporting events.
The UNWTO predicts that international visitor arrivals will reach 80 to 95 percent of pre-pandemic levels this year. Europe and the Middle East are expected to drive these numbers.
