Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano says Kenya’s tourism sector is on an upward trajectory based on the surge in local and international tourists travelling for holiday.

Speaking at Mama Ngina Waterfront in Mombasa during the national celebrations of the United Nations World Tourism Day, Miano said the tourism sector is experiencing remarkable growth, with a new record of 2.4 million international arrivals in 2024, marking a 15 per cent increase from the previous year.

United States retained the top source market, contributing 12.8 per cent of total arrivals (306,501 visitors), followed by Uganda with 9.4 per cent and Tanzania 8.4 per cent.

Inbound tourism revenue grew significantly, rising from Ksh377.49 billion in 2023 to Ksh452.20 billion in 2024, a 19.8 per cent increase. Domestic tourism also expanded, with bed-night occupancy climbing 12 per cent to 5.17 million in 2024, up from 4.6 million the previous year.

“The performance last year was the highest and this year we have seen that we are even getting better numbers. We want to appreciate that. Under the visionary leadership of President William Ruto, he has given us a lot of support and even the opportunity to reimagine and rebrand our tourism,” she said.

The cabinet secretary called for collaborations with County Governments and private sector players to actualise the ambitious target of five million and 10 million international and domestic tourists, respectively by 2027.

“We are well on track. We have a few strategies. First, opening the skies, I am happy to note that a lot of progress has been made and a number of airlines have been licensed to operate directly in Mombasa, but we still have a lot more,” the cabinet secretary said.

To strengthen the sector, she advised county governments to borrow a cue from Mombasa by establishing tourism units in the inspectorate and forming tourism councils.

“Because each county has its own tourism products. Let’s prioritise. Tourism is a low-hanging fruit,” the cabinet secretary said, appreciating content creators for posting attractive posts on social media platforms.

County governments were also advised to come up with a calendar of events for the ministry to concretise them and invite international visitors to participate. Miano affirmed that tourism is a critical pillar for the country’s economy, as it is a source of employment mostly for the youth.

“Over 80 per cent of all the employees in the tourism, hospitality sectors are actually the youth. It is also important for economic empowerment,” she said.

“Tourism is also a great earner of foreign currency. If you look at our economy, it is powered by ten per cent of GDP by the tourism sector and therefore it is a sector worth celebrating.”

The cabinet secretary was impressed by the turnout of local and international tourists at the event, which started with a 15-kilometre walk from the iconic elephant tusks.

Governor Abdulswamad Nassir lauded the Mombasa Tourism Council for revitalising tourism. He noted that the county has lined up several events heading into the December season.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Sadik Hassan