Kenya’s tourism sector has recorded strong growth, with earnings rising much faster than international visitor numbers in the 2025/26 financial year.
The country received 2.76 million international visitors, an increase of 9.8 per cent from the previous year, while tourism earnings rose by 18.7 per cent to a record Sh564 billion.
The figures point to a shift in Kenya’s tourism sector, with the country earning more from each visitor instead of relying only on increasing visitor numbers.
Average spending by an international tourist rose from about Sh189,000 to Sh204,298, the highest level recorded in five years.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano attributed the growth to improved air connectivity, destination marketing and efforts to diversify Kenya’s tourism products.
“Our collective journey over the four years has radically revitalised Magical Kenya, delivering record-breaking tourism revenue and a surge in both international and domestic visitor arrivals,” Miano said.
The sector has grown significantly since the 2021/22 financial year.
International arrivals have more than doubled from 1.21 million to 2.76 million, while tourism revenue has jumped from Sh224 billion to Sh564 billion over the same period.
Domestic tourism has also remained an important part of the sector. Domestic bed nights increased to 5.15 million in 2025/26 from four million in 2021/22.
The government has been pushing Kenya beyond its traditional wildlife and beach tourism markets by promoting conference tourism, cultural experiences, sports tourism, adventure and other emerging products.
The aim is to attract visitors who stay longer and spend more while spreading tourism earnings to more parts of the country.
The latest figures also show that Kenya’s tourism sector has recovered strongly from the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The growth is expected to benefit hotels, airlines, tour operators, transport businesses, conservancies and communities that depend on tourism.
For the government, the challenge now is to maintain the momentum while ensuring that the rising tourism earnings translate into more jobs, investment and income for Kenyans.
The latest performance suggests that Kenya is not just attracting more tourists. It is increasingly getting more value from every visitor.
