Kenya's tourism earnings more than double year on year

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Kenya's tourism income soared from about $689 million in the first eight months of 2021 to over $1.38 billion in the same period this year, the East African nation's tourism minister said on Friday.

Releasing the country's Tourism Sector Performance Report January - August 2022, Najib Balala said revenues had more than doubled from 83 billion Kenyan shillings in that time span in 2021 to 167 billion shillings this year.

"Lifting of containment measures and travel restrictions as well as enhanced vaccination has boosted tourism recovery," Balala said, adding that from January to August 2022, the country had received 924,812 foreign visitors compared to 369,738 in the same period last year -- a year-on-year rise of 91%.

Kenya received the most tourists this year from the US, Uganda, UK, Tanzania, India, and Germany, he said, praising his country's improved security environment as a factor in the increase in tourist arrivals.

Since 2013, Kenya's tourism industry has faced turbulence with mass cancellations due to attacks against foreigners by the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab terror group from neighboring Somalia.

Many hotels along the Kenyan coast have closed due to low tourist numbers in previous years.