Kenya has recorded a 40.8 per cent growth in tourism numbers for the year to October, despite the Covid-19 pandemic continued disruption on global travel.
Between January and October, the country received 663,036 visitors compared to the 470,971 arrivals recorded in the same period last year.
The US market recorded the highest arrivals into Kenya with 108,072 visitors, contributing 16.3 per cent of the total arrivals.
Uganda was second with 59,979 (9.0 per cent) while Tanzania was third with 58,946 (8.9 per cent.)
From Europe, the UK market in the fourth position led with 34,121 visitors(5.1).
Others in the order of arrivals were India with 31,644 and China with 27,494 citizens visiting Kenya.
Holiday was the leading purpose of entry with 34.1 per cent of the arrivals at 226,168.
It was followed by visiting of family and friends 194,342 , business and MICE at 178,779 while those who were on transit were 32,879.
Other purposes had arrivals of 30,868 .
In a statement on Thursday, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) noted that the tourism sector has stepped up vaccination of its workers with the hotel sector reporting almost a 100 per cent vaccination of its staff.
“A survey reveals that sector has domesticated all the safety and health protocols against the coronavirus as specified by the ministry of health,” the statement reads in part.
The government plans to vaccinate 10 million Kenyans by the end of 2021 with a plan to vaccinate 26 million Kenyans, the full adult population, by the end of 2022.
OUTLOOK
There is an expected good performance in tourism numbers next year as countries open up for travels after the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) Travel and Tourism- Economic impact report.
“Domestic travel growth is significantly expected to outpace global tourism as a whole and is expected to rise exponentially in 2022,” the report notes.
The US market is expected to recover faster than many other regions due to the predicted rise in international and domestic spending in 2021, both jobs and GDP are expected to rise.
DESTINATION KENYA
Meanwhile, Kenya has won top honors at India’s Best Awards 2021 in the category of best adventure destination among international destinations.
This follows an online voting by Travel + Leisure readers of Kenya as one of the best in the travel industry.
Further, Marketing Society of Kenya voted Kenya’s tourism marketing agency, KTB, the overall winner for the Brand PR Campaign of the Year.
The award was based on the activation of the World Rally Championship held in June 2021.
Olergesailie village bagged the Best Tourism Village Award from the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
The UNWTO’s pilot initiative recognized 44 villages from 32 countries that stood out for their natural and cultural resources, as well as for their innovative and transformative actions and commitment to tourism development in line with the sustainable development goals or SDG.
The village is located inside Olergesaille conservancy(Kajiado)home to pre-historic site. BY THE STAR