•The Tourism Research Institute has projected international arrivals will hit 2.3 million this year, with an estimated revenue of Sh425.4 billion, up from Sh268.1 billion.
•The highest number of arrivals Kenya has ever received was 2,048,834 in 2019.
Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is rooting for strong partnerships with tourism trade partners and county governments as it seeks to boost tourism numbers in the country.
Consequently, the marketing agency keen to engage county tourism CECs, chief officers, and tourism trade representatives, to pave a roadmap on broadening the scope of tourism within the counties.
This comes on the back of the recovery of Kenya's tourism arrivals, as well as an aggressive campaign on the domestic tourism front dubbed "You deserve a holiday", which has provided enriched experiences to Kenyans away from the traditional beach and safari products.
Speaking during an engagement with tourism trade partners at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre, KTB acting CEO John Chirchir noted the travel trade has been an important pillar in recovery, as they have played a key role in building confidence in Kenya as a preferred tourist destination.
"This is an exciting time from which we are looking at tourism growth in the country, both in number and value as well as tourism stories being told widely by many Kenyans and the travel trade partners alike," Chirchir said.
The travel trade plays a critical role in developing and availing tourism opportunities and packages for travelers, both in the domestic market and globally.
"Therefore, going forward, we shall look at areas of collaboration and how we can diversify our tourism product and rejuvenate it such that it can meet the demands of today’s market,” Chirchir said.
He said the partnership efforts would also extend to county governments and other key stakeholders, who will be instrumental in helping the country achieve a target of about ten million arrivals in the long term.
The sector has been on a recovery path since 2021, after taking a hit at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Kenya Tourism Sector Performance Report 2022, the country registered a 72.4 per cent recovery in the number of international visitor arrivals in last year, which stood at 1,483,752.
This was up from 870,465 in 2021.
The Tourism Research Institute has projected international arrivals will hit a record 2.3 million this year, with an estimated revenue of Sh425.4 billion, up from Sh268.1 billion.
The highest number of arrivals Kenya has ever received was 2,048,834 in 2019.
"We will be engaging with county governments as we deliberate on issues of product mapping, product packaging, and also how to work and collaborate with the private sector," Chirchir said.
While international arrivals remain a key focus, the ministry is also keen on driving domestic numbers, a market that cushioned the sector from collapsing during the pandemic.
The bed occupancy of the domestic market is expected to increase by about 10 per cent during next week's Easter Holiday, driven by among others, a six-month "You deserve a holiday" domestic campaign by KTB.
Launched in mid-2022, the campaign has brought on board over 20 partners including tour operators, airlines, and hoteliers making travel packages complete for a seamless experience.
The campaign is aimed at unlocking the potential of the domestic markets, by accessing potential areas that the Kenyan travel trade has had the challenge to penetrate.
A number of organizations have been engaged in the initiative including Golf clubs, malls, and churches.
The campaign has been to several counties including Machakos, Kisumu, Eldoret, Nakuru, and Laikipia with the final tour now in Mombasa.
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) CEO Mike Macharia said: “We have had a long partnership with KTB. We are now looking to expand the partnership even further with the aim of opening new products, targeting new areas, and driving sustainability which will ultimately result in positive growth for the industry.”
With the Easter Holiday coming up, KTB has called on Kenyans to take up the available holiday offers courtesy of the ‘You Deserve a Holiday’ campaign.