Kenya’s tourism sector recorded strong growth in 2024, earning Ksh 452.20 billion, a 19.79% increase from the Ksh 377.49 billion recorded in 2023.
This growth reflects the sector’s steady recovery from the pandemic slowdown.
Kenya welcomed 2,394,376 international visitors in 2024, up from 2,089,259 in 2023.
The United States remained the leading source market, contributing 12.8% of total arrivals, followed by Uganda at 9.42% and Tanzania at 8.49%.
The government is now targeting 3 million tourists and Ksh 560 billion in earnings for 2025.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano credited this upward trend to improvements in cruise tourism, Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), and the hospitality sector.
She noted that continued investment in modern facilities and better connectivity will be key to sustaining this growth.
MICE tourism played a major role, accounting for 27% of total arrivals, an increase from 24% in the previous year.
In 2024, Kenya hosted 37,405 international delegates, up from 34,814 in 2023, marking a 7.4% increase.
Additionally, 699,469 local delegates attended conferences, reflecting a 3.3% rise from the previous year.
May and September saw the highest influx of international delegates, driven by major events such as the African Development Bank (AFDB) Group Board of Directors meeting, the IDA for Africa Heads of State Summit, and the Africa Fertilizer Conference.
Bed-night occupancy rose by 16%, reaching 9.99 million in 2024 compared to 8.6 million in 2023.
International visitor occupancy increased from 4 million in 2023 to 4.8 million in 2024, while domestic bed occupancy grew by 12%.
In terms of market expansion, Tanzania led with an increase of 42,133 visitors, reaching 203,290 in 2024.
China followed with an increase of 29,085 visitors, totaling 90,462.
The United States recorded an increase of 28,342 visitors, bringing its total to 306,501.
Other notable growth markets included Somalia (27,029), Italy (19,926), and Uganda (19,755).
Within the East African Community, business and conference travel remained the primary reason for visits, accounting for 46.7% of Ugandan arrivals, 46.6% of Tanzanian arrivals, and 46.9% of Rwandan arrivals.
Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) was most common among travelers from Burundi at 48.6% and South Sudan at 53.1%.
Holiday and leisure travel varied, with South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) recording higher proportions than Burundi and Rwanda.
As Kenya looks ahead, the focus remains on expanding tourism products, strengthening its presence in global markets, and improving service delivery to attract more visitors in the coming years.
