Tourism sector has responded positively even after heated political temperatures across the Country.
The tourism sector recorded better performance in 2018 compared to 2017. The growth is attributed to the stable political environment, withdrawal of travel advisories improved security and investor confidence.
International visitor arrivals increased by 14 per cent from 1,778,400 in 2017 to 2,027,700 in 2018.
Number of hotel bed-nights grew by 20.1 per cent from 7,174,200 in 2017 to 8,617,900 in 2018.
The number of international conferences held increased by 6.8 percent to 204 in 2018 compared to 191 in 2017. This was attributed to high profile international conferences in the country and visits by foreign dignitaries.
Kenya hosted the global Blue Economy conference, the First Ordinary Session of the African Union ministerial sub-committee on tourism, the 79th International Skal World Congress and the African Hotel Investment Forum.
Visitors to national parks and game reserves rose by 20.3 percent to 2.8 million in 2018.
Tourist income from China dropped 10.7%, compared with over 50% from traditional revenue earners the United States and Europe.
Domestic tourism improved by 45%, earning the tourist sector 3.65 billion shillings out of the 8.08 billion in the period being reviewed.
Kenya’s 2018 tourist arrivals grew by 37.33 percent from the previous year to cross the two million mark for the first time, posting significant growth in earnings to Sh157 billion.
The earnings are a 31.2 percent improvement from the Sh119 billion earned in 2017, according to Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala.
The latest statistics show there were 2,025,206 tourists arriving compared with 1,474,671 international arrivals in the previous year.
Mr. Balala attributed the gains made by the sector to coordinate efforts between various arms of government, marketing of Kenya as a destination of choice among other strategies.
“We engaged various government departments, concerted efforts in marketing Kenya as a destination of choice. Investment of the recovery funding has also helped in growing the sector,” he elaborated.