Browsing: Kenya Tourism Board (KTB)

• Tourism in Kenya is the third-biggest foreign exchange earner after remittances and agricultural exports.
• The tourism sector’s performance has been impressive, with earnings reaching $ 2.7 billion in 2023, a 32 per cent growth from $1.8 billion recorded in 2022.
• In 2024, the sector is projected to recover to pre-pandemic levels per the strategy for tourism in Kenya 2021-2025.

Tourism in Kenya

Tourism is Kenya’s third-highest foreign exchange earner after remittances and agricultural exports.

According to the Tourism Research Institute, the industry accounts for about 10 per cent of Kenya’s gross domestic product and about 5 per cent of its formal employment.

Kenya has been a significant tourist destination in East Africa, attracting visitors worldwide to its wildlife parks, sandy beaches at the coast, diverse flora and fauna, cultural heritage, and scenic landscapes, to name a few.

However, the outbreak of COVID-19 sent shockwaves to the tourism sector, bringing it …

• The open Skies Policy in civil aviation aims to ease international airlines’ access to national airports to increase the flow of tourists and develop their potential as regional air hubs.
• Kenya is seen to warm up to more international carriers, with the latest being flyDubai, which is now flying directly to the Moi International Airport, Mombasa, after launching last week.
• Apart from attracting foreign carriers mainly from Europe and the Middle East, airlines from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and other EAC states will operate across borders without restrictions.

The Open Skies Policy in Kenya

Kenya is slowly heeding calls by the private sector to open its skies to more international airlines seeking to fly directly to the country’s Coast, a leading beach destination preferred mainly by Europeans.

This comes as the government also banks on the recently unveiled “visa-free” to open the country to more visitors, aiming to grow the …

• The Kenya Tourism Board has developed a five-year (2023-2028) strategic plan to propel the growth of tourist arrivals.
• It aims to increase the tourism sector’s contribution to Kenya’s economy to $6.6 billion annually by June 2028.
• Public-private sector collaboration in destination marketing is one of the strategies being employed, incorporating ideas that will shape the industry’s performance within the review period.

Kenya aims to increase annual international tourist arrivals to 5.5 million in the next five years, a goal that would more than triple the current numbers. The ambitious plan is spearheaded by the country’s primary marketing unit, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB), which is seeking collaboration with private sector players to effectively market the country.

According to KTB Chairperson Francis Gichaba, the sector is experiencing a full recovery, and he anticipates that arrivals by the end of the current financial year will surpass the slightly over 1.9 million visitors …

• 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 …

India’s national airline has re-launched commercial operations to Kenya’s capital Nairobi, making a return to the route it abandoned a decade ago.

Air lndia’s flight from Mumbai to Nairobi landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Wednesday with 100 passengers on board.

READ ALSO:KQ boosted by increased India flight deals

This marked the return of the airline to Kenya after 10 years.  It return is now seen a s a major boost for trade, investment and tourism activities between the two countries which have shared trade and economic ties for many years.

The airline will offer four direct flights a week-Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday with plans to offer additional flights in the pipeline, it said during the launch.

READ ALSO:Kenya woos India in agribusiness trade ties

According to tourism industry players, Air India will be instrumental in increasing uptake from both Tier I and II …

Kenya has embarked on an aggressive campaign to grow the number of tourists visiting the country with a main focus on the US market.

This comes as the US remains the leading market source for international tourists to Kenya.

Over the weekend, the tourism ministry led by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) was in the US on a charm offensive mission to try and secure a bigger pie of US-Africa bound tourists.

The country took advantage of the United States (US) Travel Agents Association forum held in Chicago between September 13 and 14, to increase tourist numbers into the country.

The Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) forum is the world’s largest meeting platform for travel agents. The forum normally attracts more than 200 travel agents who are committed to selling destinations in Africa.

According to KTB, participation in the forum will help position the country as …