• Kenya tourism revenue rises 10% to $3.84 billion in 2025
• Visitor numbers hit 7.9 million, driven by strong domestic demand
• Government measures, visa reforms support post-pandemic recovery

Kenya's tourism sector generated 500 billion shillings ($3.84 billion) in revenue in 2025, up 10% from the previous year, as the country recorded a record 7.9 million visitors, compared with 7.6 million in 2024, Tourism and Wildlife Minister Rebecca Miano said.

Domestic tourism accounted for 5.2 million of those visitors. Africa remained the largest source of international arrivals at 47%, followed by Europe at 25%. "It is undeniable that domestic tourism remains an essential pillar that supports demand and protects the sector from external shocks," Miano said.

The new peak marks the fifth consecutive year of revenue growth for the industry and confirms its recovery from the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, revenues fell 70% year-on-year to 88.5 billion shillings after the pandemic led to the suspension of international flights and the closure of national parks and private reserves.

International tourist arrivals stood at 870,465 in 2021 before more than doubling by 2023 to exceed 2 million. In 2024, Kenya became the most visited destination in East Africa, overtaking Tanzania, driven by its Indian Ocean coastline, natural attractions, diverse wildlife and business tourism.

Government measures

Miano did not specify the reasons behind the sector's growth, but 2024 was marked by a series of measures aimed at boosting tourism capacity and improving the business environment. In March 2025, Kenya introduced steps to streamline entry at Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, including removing the electronic travel authorization requirement for African nationals.

In May, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) launched a global campaign titled "A Journey Through the Wild Heart of East Africa," in partnership with BBC StoryWorks. The campaign aims to attract higher-spending tourists while creating jobs in rural areas through hiking, outdoor sports, specialized safaris and community ecotourism.

From July 1, the Kenyan government granted visa-free entry to nationals of most African countries for stays of 60 or 90 days, depending on their country of origin.

In September 2025, the KTB signed a strategic partnership with Visa to use the U.S. payments company's expertise in analytics and transaction digitization. Through Visa's Government Insights Hub platform, Kenyan authorities now have tools to analyze visitor flows, identify seasonal peaks, regional preferences and consumer behavior, and adjust marketing and investment priorities accordingly.

Kenyan authorities have set a target of 5 million international visitors and 5 million domestic tourists by 2027. Reaching that level would strengthen Kenya's position in its rivalry with Tanzania and Uganda, though it would still fall short of the performance of countries such as Egypt and Morocco, which are investing heavily in infrastructure, hotel capacity and promotion.

Espoir Olodo