Tourism is a big business and source of foreign exchange for the Kenyan government. The country has witnessed a steady growth in the tourism sector and thus economy in recent past years. However, like any other country, with a prime dependency on tourism, the tourism activities in Kenya were stagnated, and its economy also faced a hard blow by health concerns and travel restrictions due to Covid-19.

Kenya tourism industry largely depends on natural sights, including beaches, forests, mountains and eye-catching landscapes. A portion of the landscape has been set aside for conserving wildlife and biodiversity. The main attraction for tourists in Kenya is the coastal beaches, mountains, wildlife and scenic landscapes.

Tourism had been playing its role in uplifting the country since the outbreak of Coronavirus. Tourism brought lots of receipts to the country in 2019, but in the first quarter of 2020, Kenya began to experience a sharp decline in the influx of tourists. Soon Kenya, started the recovery of its tourism sector by the closure of the year 2020, and tourism bounced back with full efforts in Kenya. From approximately negligible tourist receipts in the second quarter of the year, the arrival of tourists in Kenya increased to 47,407 from 31,875 arrivals in November. A re-boost in tourism is a good signal for the government to compensate for the financial losses when tourism sharply dropped in the country, caused by the Covid-19.

According to a survey conducted from January to October 2020, most tourists, over 60 thousand who visited Kenya, came from Uganda. 53.4 thousand tourists from America, while 43.6 thousand from Tanzania travelled to Kenya, followed by 42.3 thousand arrivals from the UK, 25.3 thousand from India, and 17.5 thousand from Germany. Fourteen thousand tourists arrived in Kenya from Italy, France, and Rwanda each, and 11 thousand visitors were from China.

Gradual and sustained efforts by the government to promote tourism has yielded positive outcome in the tourism receipts. Kenya had started to attract more tourists every year, with 1459.5 thousand arrivals in 2015, 1666 thousand in 2016, and 1778.4 in 2017. In 2019, 2,048,834 international visitors arrived in Kenya, which is an increase of 1.167% compared to 2018 with 2,025,206 arrivals.

Several campaigns and strategies set by the government proved to be the driving forces of tourism in the country.

You may find a few highlights below:

• Global Online consumer campaigns on Google, Online Travel agencies and other media platforms

  ---

• Continuous Digital consumer advertising campaigns

  ---

• Joint marketing campaigns with travel trade

  ---

But in contrast to 2019, when 2,048,834 tourists visited Kenya, touristic activities got halted in 2020, hosting only 471 thousand arrivals, with all credits to Covid-19.

Tourism is significant for Kenya and a provider of thousands of jobs to local Kenyan residents. When tourism gets a boost in Kenya, money begins to circulate in the country. Locals get employed as Hotel staff, airport staff, drivers, cooks, and tour guides. Many people get their jobs directly or indirectly under the tourism sector.

Tourism has also encouraged wildlife conservation efforts. The main attraction for tourists in Kenya is the animals and landscapes unique to the country. Tourists are a vital concern for the Kenyan government, helping the government climb towards financial stability and preserve its wildlife and natural resources.

It is interesting to note that Free Independent Travel in Kenya accounts for 36.1% of international visitors. Solo travelling is gaining popularity among tourists. They probably want to maximize their “me-time”, take a break from daily, hectic routines and find solace in Kenya.