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Elijah Ntongai, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, has more than three years of financial, business, and technology research expertise, providing insights into Kenyan and global trends.
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) reported earnings of KSh 142.5 billion for the half-year ending June 2024.
This growth has been attributed to an increase in travel to regions beyond the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve, which is currently at full capacity due to the annual wildebeest migration.
During a recent visit to the Maasai Mara, KTB CEO June Chepkemei highlighted the role of the Mara as a central hub for attracting tourists, particularly during the wildebeest migration.
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"This is a magnet that brings tourists to Kenya. It is a bucket list destination... When they are done with Mara we are able to the allow them to experience what else the country has to offer," Chepkemei said.
In a statement seen by TUKO.co.ke, Chepkemei noted that the first half of 2024 saw 1,027,630 international visitors to Kenya, a 21.3% increase from the same period in 2023, which recorded 847,810 arrivals.
The surge in tourism has also spurred domestic travel, with 2.25 million bed nights recorded, a 10% rise from 2.06 million in the corresponding period last year.
"We have surpassed our targets for the just immediate financial year. Going into the future we see ourselves increasing the numbers and even surpassing our three million target that we have set," Chepkemei said.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Director General Erustus Kanga, who accompanied Chepkemei on the tour, emphasised the importance of conservation and sustainable tourism in keeping Kenya competitive as a top destination.
He pointed to the growing interest in sustainability among modern tourists, noting that KWS is working closely with government agencies, sectors, and communities to foster sustainable conservation initiatives.
Additionally, Kanga called for public support for the ongoing KWS #TunzaMaliYako campaign, which encourages Kenyans to take part in nature conservation as a key driver of national development.
In other news on TUKO.co.ke, data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) showed that the number of tourists from countries within and outside Africa increased in the 12 months to March 2024.
Kenya's key tourist source countries include the United States, Uganda, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, India and Germany.
The total number of tourist arrivals increased from 1,000,559 in 2022 to 1,626,818 in 2023 and then to 2,069,620 in 2024, with an overall 27.2% rise from 2023 to 2024.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura Guthua, journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke
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Tourism revenues in Kenya.
Kenya Recorded 37.7% Increase in Number of International Tourists in
Kenya's tourism earnings surge in 2022 as travel curbs ease | Reuters