Nairobi — Kenya welcomed 7.5 million tourists last year, latest data shows, with the government targeting 5 million international visitors and 10 million domestic tourists by 2027.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano revealed that the country received 2.4 million international visitors in 2024, compared to 2 million visitors in 2023.

"In 2024, Kenya's tourism sector reached historic milestones. Our total visitor numbers stood at 7.5 million as we welcomed 2.4 million international visitors. This reflects a 14.6% growth from 2023," she stated.

Miano stated that the top 5 tourism source markets, including the United States, Uganda, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, and India, drove the numbers up.

For example, 306,501 visited Kenya from the United States, representing 12.8 percent of the total international arrivals among the top 5 markets.

Uganda and Tanzania followed closely, each recording 225,559 and 203,290 arrivals, respectively.

Tourism being the third largest source of foreign exchange for Kenya, the sector generated the country Sh452.2 billion in 2024, up from Sh352.6 billion recorded in 2023.

"The Africa market contributed to 40% of the arrivals to the country in the year 2024, with the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) providing 67 percent of the total arrivals," according to the Tourism Research Institute.

The continent was followed closely by Europe and America, each representing 28.1 and 15.7 percent, respectively.

The others include Asia, Oceania and the Middle East, each representing 12.1 percent, 1.3 percent and 0.80 percent, respectively.

The growth in arrivals has been attributed to government strategies aimed at boosting tourism.

In September last year the Ministries of Interior and Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance tourist safety.

This collaboration aimed to improve cooperation with the National Police Service, ensuring a safer environment for both international and domestic tourists.