This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
Kenya's tourism sector has defied terror threats and global geopolitics to record a 3.9 percent growth in earnings to Sh163.6 billion in 2019, with international tourist arrivals staying above the two-million mark for the first time in history.
According to the latest statistics released by Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, there were 2,048,834 foreign visitors in 2019, compared to 2,025,206 international arrivals in 2018.
Arrivals through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were 1.42 million or 70 percent of total arrivals, followed by Moi International Airport with 128,222.
The slowed growth in earnings came as only eight out of the top 20 source markets posted 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.
"We need to up our game to ensure the sector is vibrant and doesn’t live in the past glory but manifests itself for the future," he added.
The United States remained Kenya’s leading market, growing by nine percent with 245,437 arrivals, while arrivals from Uganda jumped 5.1 percent to 223,010, leapfrogging Tanzania to the second position.
