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Kenya’s tourism industry is booming once again, with international arrivals now expected to match the pre-pandemic levels, according to projections by Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) – the country’s travel marketing agency.

KTB acting Chief executive John Chirchir expressed confidence that international tourist visits could surpass the 2019 numbers – when the sector reported its best performance in as many years, with 2.05 million arrivals and $1.76 billion (Sh252.74 billion) in revenue.

The 2023 target will outstrip the 70.45 per cent increase in the international tourist arrivals recorded last year according to the agency, where some 1,483,752 foreigners visited the country for holiday and meetings, and brought in Sh268.09 billion in revenue.

It expects this year’s growth to be boosted by the improving domestic tourism and value addition by sector players as well as improved marketing strategies of the country’s exotic culture.

“Looking at last year and this year’s tourism performance we are happy as a destination that we will be closing the year at par with the 2019 period. We are looking at closing the year at over two million international arrivals and improving the uptake of domestic tourism by over six million bed nights,” Chirchir said in an exclusive interview with Business Hub.

And by 2027, KTB boss who took over in November last year, albeit in an acting capacity following the departure of Betty Radier, is optimistic that Kenya as a destination will align its marketing initiatives to grow tourism arrivals of 5.5 million yearly to match the government’s targets. Further, KTB plans to work with content creators and sports personalities in an effort to promote domestic or local travel experience.

Booked in advance

“The indicators for now are that the high season is promising, and most of the accommodation has been booked ahead with aircraft seats, SGR and tour vans have been booked in advance,” he said.

Chirchir added that the agency has since embarked on exploring new partnerships and strengthening the existing ones with other players with the key objective of building on each other’s strength to grow tourism numbers and receipts, with a special focus on meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market under threat from emerging markets like Rwanda and Ethiopia.

The MICE sector accounted for 13.5 per cent of Kenya’s 2019 performance and under the new administration, East Africa’s most developed economy is banking on the sector to take prominence on the country’s tourism recovery roadmap.

Other agencies like the Tourism Research Institute, forecast Kenya’s tourism revenue to increase by almost 60 per cent this year to Sh425. 4 billion, expecting the number of visitors to reach 2.35 million by December, with MICE a key ingredient in snowballing that target.

The Telegraph Travel Awards 2023 ranked Kenya at position seven among the top destinations for tourists.