Miano reveals strategy to make Kenya most appealing tourism destination

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has told the Senate that the government has adopted a comprehensive and future-oriented strategy to reposition Kenya as Africa's most appealing tourism destination.

Miano, who appeared before the Senate plenary to answer questions, said the approach is to collaborate with other enabling Ministries and private sector players, such as travel agents, tour operators, airlines, and relevant service providers.

The CS said government intends to grow the tourism sector earnings to Sh1 trillion annually by 2028, with 5.5 million international arrivals and 7.5 million domestic bed nights.

“The key interventions being implemented include newly introduced scheduled connections into Kenya by international airlines such as Air Asia, Fly Dubai, Air Indigo, Oman Air and Brussels Airlines have expanded Kenya's global access points,” said Miano.

She said the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system in 2024 has streamlined visa issuance, reduced barriers to entry, and enhanced our competitiveness in attracting short-notice travelers and MICE delegates, while recently ETA requirements for all African Countries except Libya and Somalia were also waived.

Miano said Turkish Airlines has been granted the necessary licenses to resume flights to Moi International Airport, enabling tourists to fly directly to Mombasa from Istanbul with the introduction of the Transit Visa expected to tap into a huge potential market to grow arrivals into Kenya.

She said that the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife is also part of an Inter —Agency Committee Comprising Ministries of Interior, Roads and Transport and National Treasury with relevant agencies to continuously improve travelers' facilitation and experience at our major points of entry.

“This culminated in signing of a service charter among all the service providers at JKIA on March 18, 2025 outlining key service standards and coordination mechanisms to streamline passenger experiences, reinforcing JKlA's role as a critical driver of tourism, trade and investments,” said Miano.

Asked about the current status of the tourism sector in Kenya and how recent trends in tourist arrivals compare between domestic and international visitors,  Miano said Kenya received approximately 2.4 million international tourists in 2024, marking a 14.6% increase from the 2.089 million arrivals recorded in 2023.

Miano said the sector's earnings rose to Sh452 billion in 2024, reflecting a 19.79% growth compared to the previous year's Sh377.49 billion, with cruise tourism experiencing a 163.5% surge, with 6,561 tourists arriving in 2024, up from 2,490 in 2023.

The CS added that the domestic tourism bed-nights occupancy is estimated to have grown by 12% from 4,618,094 in 2023 to 5,173,966 in 2024, a rise occasioned by an improved business environment, domestic travelers presumably encouraged by promotional campaigns and a growing interest of Kenyan citizens to participate in domestic tourism.

Miano told Senators this strong performance is attributed to a combination of factors, including enhanced air connectivity, the simplification of visa processes through the ETA system, improved collaborative marketing efforts, focus on new product segments, and renewed traveler confidence in the Magical Kenya brand.

 “It is worth noting that domestic tourism has played a stabilizing role during global travel downturns as international travel normalized in 2024, domestic tourism continued to grow, showing that both segments complement each other in building the sectors resilience,” said Miano.

The Cabinet Secretary said that her  Ministry is supporting community-based tourism initiatives, equipping small operators, artisans, and guides with training, financing linkages, and market access.

Miano said that they are working with county governments to bring more rural and peri-urban areas into the tourism ecosystem with Micro Small and Medium Enterprises and youth entrepreneurs being empowered to create income-generating tourism services and experiences.

She said the establishment of National Tourism Amenities initiative involves enhancing tourism infrastructure across all circuits to improve visitor experience, comfort, accessibility, safety, security, and overall sector sustainability.

“We are implementing a coordinated and structured approach to marketing and promotion by integrating technology and expanding outreach to key source markets. This initiative fosters collaboration between the government and stakeholders while promoting technological advancements in tourism marketing,” said Miano.

She said the government is enhancing Coastal Beach Management, which aims to transform Kenya's coastal destinations into globally competitive and sustainable beach experiences by elevating the attractiveness and safety of Kenyan beaches to internationally recognized standards.

Miano said they are carrying out capacity building in the tourism sector with this initiative focusing on providing industry-relevant training and capacity-building programs to enhance service delivery and competitiveness within the sector.

The Cabinet Secretary said they are enhancing safety and Security in Tourism Zones with this initiative aiming to strengthen safety and security measures within key tourism areas, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors

Miano said they are currently strengthening the Tourism Policy, Regulatory, Governance, and Institutional Framework with the program seeking to enhance sector efficiency through the development and implementation of robust policies, regulations, and governance structures.

 “ The Ministry is enhancing partnerships and collaborations with private sector players and international stakeholders including airlines, the UN bodies, Diplomatic Missions, international organizations, and NGO's to drive sector growth and sustainability, ” said Miano.