In 2023, earnings from international arrivals in Kenya amounted to 352.5 billion Kenyan shillings (KSh), around 2.7 billion U.S. dollars. This represented an increase of around 32 percent in comparison to the previous year. In 2020, the number of international visitor arrivals in Kenya declined sharply, and, consequently, the sector’s revenue fell to 89 billion KSh (686 million U.S. dollars). The drop interrupted an up going trend in place since 2015. From that year onward, the country’s tourism industry had recorded an annual growing revenue, after a slowdown due to an upsurge in violent terrorist attacks in 2012. First signs of recovery in 2021 Worldwide, the tourism industry felt the dramatic effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In Kenya, the sector contracted, and its contribution to the country’s GDP roughly halved in 2020, compared to 2019. By the end of 2021, however, signals of recovery amid the tourism industry were already spotted. The monthly number of arrivals in both Jomo Kenyatta and Moi international airports in December that year corresponded to roughly 70 percent of that registered in December 2019. Additionally, as of March 2022, the bed occupancy rate in Kenyan hotels amounted to 57 percent, against 23 percent in March 2021. Tourism: a relevant industry in Kenya’s economy Kenya is extensively known for its rich nature and wildlife. The country is home to Mount Kenya, the second-highest mountain in Africa, and houses seven UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Lake Turkana national parks and the Lamu Old Town. Unsurprisingly, travel and tourism play a key role in the Kenyan economy. Despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry remained a relevant source of employment. As of 2020, tourism engaged roughly 6.4 percent of the total employment in Kenya.

In 2021, travel and tourism contributed 5.4 billion U.S. dollars to Kenya's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The amount increased by nearly 35 percent compared to 2020, when the tourism industry struggled with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Despite the recovery, the value added to the GDP remained below that registered previous to the health crisis.

Key information about Kenya Tourism Revenue Growth

• Kenya Tourism Revenue dropped 1.2 % YoY in Dec 2019, compared with an increase of 14.1 % YoY in the previous year
• Kenya Tourism Revenue Growth rate data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1996 to Dec 2019
• The data reached an all-time high of 44.1 % in Dec 2010 and a record low of -58.7 % in Dec 2000

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data was reported at 824.000 USD mn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 724.000 USD mn for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data is updated yearly, averaging 697.500 USD mn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 935.000 USD mn in 2012 and a record low of 276.000 USD mn in 2002. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items data was reported at 796.000 USD mn in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 872.000 USD mn for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items data is updated yearly, averaging 491.000 USD mn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.069 USD bn in 2012 and a record low of 217.000 USD mn in 2000. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: for Passenger Transport Items data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts for passenger transport items are expenditures by international inbound visitors for all services provided in the international transportation by resident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Tourist Arrivals in Kenya increased to 171269 in May from 169230 in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Kenya Tourist Arrivals- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Kenya: Tourist arrivals: The latest value from 2019 is 2049 thousand tourists, an increase from 2025 thousand tourists in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 13511 thousand tourists, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Kenya from 1995 to 2019 is 1361 thousand tourists. The minimum value, 894 thousand tourists, was reached in 1998 while the maximum of 2049 thousand tourists was recorded in 2019.

Key information about Kenya Tourism Revenue

• Kenya's Tourism Revenue reached 2 USD bn in Dec 2019, compared with 2 USD bn in the previous year
• Kenya's Tourism Revenue data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1995 to Dec 2019
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,004 USD mn in Dec 2012 and a record low of 500 USD mn in Dec 2000

International tourism, receipts (current US$) in Kenya was reported at 1762000000 USD in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - International tourism, receipts - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Expenditures: for Travel Items data was reported at 145.000 USD mn in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 217.000 USD mn for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Expenditures: for Travel Items data is updated yearly, averaging 176.000 USD mn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 266.000 USD mn in 2008 and a record low of 108.000 USD mn in 2004. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Expenditures: for Travel Items data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These may include expenditures by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Kenya: International tourism revenue, percent of GDP: The latest value from 2019 is 1.76 percent, a decline from 1.93 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 7.95 percent, based on data from 136 countries. Historically, the average for Kenya from 1995 to 2019 is 4.41 percent. The minimum value, 1.76 percent, was reached in 2019 while the maximum of 9.39 percent was recorded in 1999.

Kenya: Tourist departures: The latest value from is thousand tourists, unavailable from thousand tourists in . In comparison, the world average is 0 thousand tourists, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for Kenya from to is thousand tourists. The minimum value, thousand tourists, was reached in while the maximum of thousand tourists was recorded in .

As of 2023, over 1.9 million international visitors arrived in Kenya. This represents a steady recovery in growth since 2020, when only 567.8 thousand visitors entered the country as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like other nations worldwide, Kenya implemented measures to contain the spread of the virus, such as lockdown and flight restrictions. As a result, the passenger flow in the two main Kenyan airports was drastically low between March and July 2020. After flights resumed, the volume of visitors increased, however, they remained under the pre-pandemic level. Signs of recovery post-COVID-19 pandemicIn 2022, earnings from international arrivals in Kenya amounted to 268.1 billion Kenyan shillings (KSh), around 2.1 billion U.S. dollars. This represented an increase of some 83 percent in comparison to the previous year, when the Kenyan tourism sector recorded a revenue of roughly 89 billion KSh (690 million U.S. dollars). The COVID-19 crisis interrupted an upgoing trend in tourism earnings registered in the last years. Since 2015, the sector recorded growing revenue year-by-year, after a slow down started in 2011, as a consequence of an upsurge in violent terrorist attacks. Relevance of tourism in Kenya’s economyHome of Mount Kenya, the second highest mountain in Africa, Kenya is extensively known for its rich nature and wildlife. Tourism, therefore, plays a key role in the country’s economy. In 2020, the sector contributed 4.2 billion U.S. dollars to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product. By the same year, travel and tourism accounted for 6.4 percent of the total employment. Lastly, international tourists spent 581 million U.S. dollars in Kenya, which was equivalent to six percent of the country’s exports.

International tourism, number of arrivals in Kenya was reported at 2049000 in 2019, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Kenya - International tourism, number of arrivals - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on August of 2025.

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts data was reported at 1.620 USD bn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 1.596 USD bn for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts data is updated yearly, averaging 1.196 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.004 USD bn in 2012 and a record low of 500.000 USD mn in 2000. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Kenya: Percent of world tourist arrivals: The latest value from 2019 is 0.09 percent, unchanged from 0.09 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 0.61 percent, based on data from 165 countries. Historically, the average for Kenya from 1995 to 2019 is 0.09 percent. The minimum value, 0.06 percent, was reached in 2015 while the maximum of 0.12 percent was recorded in 1995.

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data was reported at 1,268,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,114,000.000 Person for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data is updated yearly, averaging 1,170,000.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,750,000.000 Person in 2011 and a record low of 792,000.000 Person in 1998. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Travel services (% of service imports) of Kenya reduced by 1.69% from 2.9 % in 2022 to 2.9 % in 2023. Since the 1.80% upward trend in 2021, travel services (% of service imports) slumped by 12.08% in 2023. Travel covers goods and services acquired from an economy by travelers for their own use during visits of less than one year in that economy for either business or personal purposes. Travel includes local transport (i.e., transport within the economy being visited and provided by a resident of that economy), but excludes international transport (which is included in passenger transport. Travel also excludes goods for resale, which are included in general merchandise.

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Expenditures data was reported at 145.000 USD mn in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 217.000 USD mn for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Expenditures data is updated yearly, averaging 182.500 USD mn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 266.000 USD mn in 2008 and a record low of 108.000 USD mn in 2004. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Expenditures data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Kenya – Table KE.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries, including payments to foreign carriers for international transport. These expenditures may include those by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include expenditures for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

4,00,00,000 (US dollars) in 2001. International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.