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.

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 shilings (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.

Tourist Arrivals in Kenya increased to 166961 in December from 129335 in November of 2024. This dataset provides - Kenya Tourist Arrivals- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

As of January 2024, Kenya registered over 134,600 international visitors' arrivals, an decrease of about 9,300 arrivals from the preceding month. The country's tourism industry has been recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which led to a dramatic decrease in the number of international tourists in 2020. Previous to the health crisis, the monthly number of visitors arrivals in the country oscillated but kept above 100,000.

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;

As of 2023, roughly 265,000 visitors from the United States arrived in Kenya, the largest number among all other countries. Over 201,000 visitors came from Uganda, while close to 158,000 were from Tanzania, both neighboring nations. Overall, Kenya recorded over 1.9 million international visitor arrivals that year. This shows a steady post-pandemic recovery since 2020, with the number almost reaching pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. Changes in airport movements Due to COVID-19 restrictions, passenger flight landings in Kenya decreased severely in the second quarter of 2020. In May 2020, the traffic in the country’s main airports reduced to less than 200 flights, only a few coming from abroad. Thus, 2020 turned out to record one of the lowest performances in the annual number of flight landings in Kenya. However, by the end of that year, signs of recovery were already spotted. The rebounding trend followed through 2021: Passenger flight landings increased by 40 percent compared to 2020, although the number remained 37.5 percent lower than the pre-coronavirus level. Touristic destination for international visitors Being the home of Mount Kenya, the second-highest mountain in Africa, Kenya attracts many tourists with its rich nature and wildlife. In 2021, nearly 300,000 international visitors chose the country as a holiday destination. This corresponded to roughly 35 percent of the total inbound visits. In 2019, previous to the COVID-19 pandemic, direct earnings from international tourism generated around 2.6 billion U.S. dollars. Inbound visitors spent mostly on accommodation, air passenger transport, and food and beverage services.

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;

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.

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;

Key information about Kenya Visitor Arrivals

• Kenya Visitor Arrivals recorded 1,985,100 person in Dec 2023, compared with 1,465,200 person in the previous year
• Kenya Visitor Arrivals data is updated yearly, available from Dec 1991 to Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 1,985,100 person in Dec 2023 and a record low of 542,400 person in Dec 2020

Roughly 2.2 million people visited wildlife tourist facilities in Kenya as of 2022. Kenyan citizens composed the majority of visitors, with around 1.7 million individuals. Overall, the number of visitors has been following an increasing trend since the restrictions related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak came to an end. However, the volume of non-resident visitors has remained below the pre-pandemic level.

Employment in travel and tourism in Kenya represented nearly eight percent of total employment in the country in 2021. The sector's contribution to employment increased from 7.3 percent in 2020, when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic highly affected the Kenyan tourism sector. Despite the improvement, the share remained below that registered previous to the health crisis.

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;

Tourism receipts as a share of total exports of Kenya decreased by 0.43% from 15.4 % in 2018 to 15.4 % in 2019. Since the 0.80% upward trend in 2017, tourism receipts as a share of total exports went up by 2.62% in 2019. 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. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services, which comprise all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services.

Hotel bed night occupancy by domestic visitors in Kenya amounted to roughly 3.1 million from January to September 2021. The number improved compared to 2020, when the Kenyan tourism industry felt hardest the effects of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. That year, domestic bed occupancy totaled approximately 2.6 million, around 40 percent lower than in 2019.

Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports data was reported at 16.360 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 15.028 % for 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports data is updated yearly, averaging 18.024 % from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.246 % in 1999 and a record low of 15.028 % in 2015. Kenya KE: International Tourism: Receipts: % of Total Exports 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. Their share in exports is calculated as a ratio to exports of goods and services, which comprise all transactions between residents of a country and the rest of the world involving a change of ownership from residents to nonresidents of general merchandise, goods sent for processing and repairs, nonmonetary gold, and services.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, and IMF and World Bank exports estimates.; Weighted average;

Travel and tourism real direct contribution to GDP of Kenya leapt by 5.94% from 3.0 billion US dollars in 2018 to 3.2 billion US dollars in 2019. Since the 0.57% downward trend in 2016, travel and tourism real direct contribution to GDP jumped by 14.70% in 2019.

Forecast: International Tourism Receipts in Kenya 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

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.

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;