KTB seeks to increase tourist numbers to 3 million

Tourists disembark from a FlyDubai aircraft that landed at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa from Dubai on January 17, 2023. [Robert Menza, Standard]

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is pursuing initiatives to increase the number of international tourist arrivals into the country from 1.9 to 3 million by the end of the year.

The Board is working with various stakeholders including hoteliers and eco-tourism operators to sell tourist destination sites in the country.

According to the Tourism Research Institute, 1.96 million tourists visited the country in 2023 representing 31.5 per cent of the 1.5 million that toured the country in 2022.

The Institute's 2023 report indicates that last year, tourism arrivals generated tourist inbound earnings of Sh353 billion which showed the rapid growth post-Covid-19 pandemic.

The report showed that Kenya’s top tourism source markets in 2023 were the USA with 265,310 tourist arrivals, Uganda (201,623), Tanzania (157,818), the UK (156,700) and India (94,273).

KTB Chief Executive Officer June Chepkemei announced plans to diversify tourist attraction sites and enhance marketing strategies to achieve the 3 million tourist arrivals.

Chepkemei noted that the tourism sector was on an upward trajectory with the recent number of tourist arrivals recorded on the rise.

The CEO said that the sector had bounced back from the Covid-19 pandemic aftershocks and is projected to post positive growth in coming months.

“The board has partnered with motorsport organisations and federations to tap into adventure and leisure sectors to showcase the country’s diverse sites,” she said.

Speaking in Naivasha during the launch of the new BMW GS 1300 Motorrad bike, Chepkemei said the country targets 10,000 riders across the continent to tour the country. 

“The country is gearing up to become a notable hub for adventure tourism to showcase an array of Kenya’s deserts, coastal beaches, mountains, and other surreal terrains,” she said.

Inchape Kenya Managing Director Julia Vershinskaya said the new adventure motorbike offered biking and adventure enthusiasts a new riding experience.

Vershinskaya noted that Kenya had positioned itself as the largest market for the company’s Motorrad motorbikes in Africa, indicating the huge potential in the sector.

According to the company’s Sales Manager Charles Ndegwa, the partnership with KTB would nurture and accelerate the growth of adventure tourism in the country.

Ndegwa said the market had positively embraced the new product borne after years of innovation promising biking enthusiasts more advanced features at a low consumption rate.