According to the tourist ministry, Kenya’s tourism revenue increased by almost a third in 2023 compared to the previous year, surpassing the pre-pandemic figures.
Kenya has long been one of the most popular travel destinations in East Africa, drawing tourists from all over the world to its beaches and wildlife reserves along the Indian Ocean.
According to a government report seen by AFP on Sunday, revenue reached 352.5 billion shillings (about $2.7 billion) last year, up 31.5 percent.
However, among the 1.95 million tourists, per capita expenditure decreased in terms of dollars.
“Despite the increase in the number of visitors in 2023 as compared to 2022, the average per capita expenditure in US dollars decreased significantly,” the report stated.
“This is partly attributed to the sustained depreciation of the Kenya shilling against the major currencies.”
Prior to the coronavirus epidemic, two million tourists generated $2.24 billion in revenue for the tourism industry in 2019, or around 10% of the GDP.
With 265,310 arrivals, Americans made up the largest group of 2023 visitors, followed by Ugandans (201,623), Tanzanians (157,818), and Britons (156,700).
This year, the ministry anticipates welcoming 2.4 million tourists.
Kenya’s immigration officials said in January that the first group of international visitors had entered the country using a streamlined “visa-free” approach, which was intended to attract more tourists.
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