The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), has released a data showing a decline in international arrivals at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Released on May 29, the data shows a drop of passengers from 141,582 in February to 123,682 in March, a decrease of 17,900 in one month, and passengers leaving through JKIA from 242,679 in February to 231,598 in March.
This has raised concern among tourism sector, as the government plans to expand the airport under the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF) to improve its infrastructure and operations.
This affect hotel occupancy rates, conference tourism and the hospitality sector, which contributes to the economic growth. Kenya is working tirelessly to establish itself as a premier destination for both leisure and business travel.
The drop shows could be caused by global economic uncertainty and increased competition from regional hubs such as Addis Ababa and Kigali, also the cost of living and security concerns may discourage international visitors in the country.
KNBS says the Metre Gauge Railway (MGR) registered an increase of 263,026 from210, 251, while the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) saw an increase of 193,953 from 185,278 passengers in March.
JKIA continues to serve a critical hub for East Africa, handling millions of passengers and goods annually anchoring Kenya’s aviation sector.
