This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
Kenya's tourism sector has shown resilience in the face of terror threats and global geopolitics, with earnings growing by 3.9 percent to Ksh163.6 billion ($1.6 billion) in 2019.
According to statistics released by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala on Friday, January 10, 2020, there were 2,048,834 foreign visitors in 2019, compared to 2,025,206 international arrivals in 2018.
While the growth rate was slower than the previous year, when earnings increased by 37.33 percent, the sector still managed to attract a record number of tourists.
Arrivals through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport accounted for 70 percent of total arrivals, with Moi International Airport coming in second.
However, the growth in earnings was not uniform across all markets, with only eight out of the top 20 source markets posting a growth in tourist numbers.
"The year started with the dusitD2 attack (January 15) and that had an impact to the growth. But it is a resilient performance," Mr Balala said.
He added that the sector needs to "up its game" to ensure it remains vibrant and competitive in the future.
