Kenya's tourist numbers hit four year high in election year

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala (PHOTO: FILE)

NAIROBI, KENYA: Tourism sector shrugged off election uncertainties and negative travel advisories to post increased earnings supported by more international arrivals in 2017.

Data released yesterday by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show that tourism earnings rose by 20.3 per cent in 2017 to Sh119.9 billion from previous year’s Sh99.7 billion.

The rise was attributed to the increase in the number of international visitor arrivals by 8.1 per cent to 1.45 million from 1.33 million in the previous year. This is the highest number in four years. In 2013, it was at 1.52 million.

“Improved performance of the sector was supported by enhanced security and aggressive promotion in both the domestic and international market,” said KNBS Managing Director Zachary Mwangi.

The second and third quarters experienced more pronounced growth in arrivals shrugging off the political uncertainties experienced that time.

However, visitors who came for holiday, business and transit recorded a decline during these quarters. Overall, 68.4 per cent of visitors came for holiday followed by 13.7 per cent who came for business

Tourists who arrived in the country through Mombasa International Airport (MIA) grew by 8 per cent to 100,300 while arrivals via Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) expanded by 10.6 per cent to 864,000.

“Generally, month-on-month analysis revealed that arrivals in the two international airports were higher in most months of 2017 compared to 2016,” notes the KNBS data.

The best months for international arrivals through MIA were January (11,500 visitors), August (10,700) September (9,100), November (11,000) and December with 15,100 visitors.

Through JKIA, arrivals were above 62,000 from January to May before hitting a high of 98,000 in July. That eased to 61,600 in November before rising to 90,700 in December.

Hotel owners benefited as bed-nights occupancy increased by 11.3 per cent from 6.45 million in 2016 to 7.17 million during the year under review.

This even as the number of international conferences held contracted by 16 per cent from 227 in 2016 to 191 last year. However, this was partly cancelled by local conferences which rose by 2.4 per cent to 3,844 from 3,755.

 

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