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Kenya’s tourism revenue climbed above pre-Covid levels in 2023, according to a government report. Revenue from tourism in Kenya jumped nearly a third in 2023 over the previous year beating the pre-pandemic numbers, according to the Kenyan tourism ministry.
Kenya’s tourism revenue climbed above pre-Covid levels in 2023, according to a government report. Revenue from tourism in Kenya jumped nearly a third in 2023 over the previous year beating the pre-pandemic numbers, according to the Kenyan tourism ministry.
Kenya has been a major tourist destination in East Africa traditionally attracting visitors from across the world to its wildlife parks and beaches. According to the ministry report revenue rose 31.5% last year to hit 352.5 billion shillings (nearly USD 2.7 billion). But per capita spending in dollar terms by the 1.95 million visitors fell. Despite the increase in the number of visitors in 2023 as compared to 2022, the average per capita expenditure in US dollars decreased significantly. This is partly attributed to the sustained depreciation of the Kenya shilling against the major currencies.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, tourism brought in about USD2.24 billion in 2019 from two million visitors or about 10% of GDP. Americans accounted for the largest 2023 arrivals at 265,310, followed by Ugandans (201,623), Tanzanians (157,818), and 156,700 from the United Kingdom.
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The ministry hopes to welcome 2.4 million tourists in the current year. In January, Kenya’s immigration services said the first batch of foreign tourists had arrived under a simplified visa-free entry system it hoped would encourage more visitors.
