For the first 10 months of 2021 (January to October) Kenya recorded a 40.8% growth in tourism numbers, with 663 036 visitors over the period compared with 470 971 arrivals over the same period in 2020.

This was highlighted by Magical Kenya, the country’s official destination website.

The destination organisation said this year could see even further performances in tourism numbers as countries opened up for travel after the coronavirus pandemic.

The US market is expected to recover faster than many other regions due to the predicted rise in international and domestic spend in 2021, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council, with both jobs and GDP expected to increase in 2022.

From January to October last year, the US market recorded the highest arrivals to Kenya, with 108 072 visitors contributing 16.3% of total arrivals, Uganda was second with 59 979 (9%), and Tanzania third with 58 946 (8.9%).

The UK market was the fourth largest inbound market with 34 121 (5.1%) travellers during that period. Others in the order of arrivals were; India with 31 644 (4.8%), and China with 27 494 (4.1%).

In terms of the purpose of entry, ‘holiday’ was the leading category, with 34.1% of the arrivals (226 168 tourists), VFR at 194 342 (29.3%), Business and MICE at 178 779 (27.0%).

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