Kenya is relying on her connectivity, improved infrastructure and regional integration to position tourism business in the East Africa region.
Speaking at the sidelines of the just concluded Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo (POATE) in Uganda, Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, noted that the expanded air routes and road infrastructure development has given Kenya a major boost in both tourism and trade businesses.
“By enhancing connectivity between Kenya and our East African neighbors through expanded air routes, improved infrastructure, and simplified visa process, we are not only boosting visitor numbers but also enriching the travel experience,” Miano said.
The government, the cabinet secretary added, is continuously investing in air connectivity and infrastructure that were already paying off, with increased arrivals and growing interest in investment and trade opportunities.
Africa continues to be Kenya’s largest source market, contributing 975,883 arrivals in 2024, which accounts for 40.8 percent of all international visitors. The East African Community (EAC) remains vital, with Uganda leading as the top African source market 31.7 percent of African arrivals, followed by Tanzania (28.5 percent), Somalia (11.4 percent), and Rwanda (9.2 percent).
“Our next steps involve further developing airports, roads, and railways to reduce travel time and open remote areas to tourists,” the cabinet secretary explained. “We are also keen on high-speed internet as a primary pillar for marketing destinations and serving digital-savvy travelers.
“Equally critical is fostering dynamic partnerships between the public and private sectors. So, we can collectively address infrastructure gaps and optimize services such as immigration to ensure a competitive edge in global tourism”.
Kenya is seeking to increase Ugandan visitor number by 27 percent to record about 300,000 arrivals end of year with POATE providing countries a platform to push for policies that simplify travel, support intra-African tourism, and elevate the global appeal for the East African experience.
Business travel, conferences, and visits to friends and relatives account for 77.3 percent of EAC arrivals with the CS pointing to the growing potential to diversify toward more leisure-focused experiences.
Felix Mwangangi, Kenya Airways Country Manager, representing Uganda, disclosed that planned joint campaigns between KTB and travel trade would further boost travel interest for Ugandan travelers to Kenya.
He disclosed that the national carrier is looking to grow visitor volumes from the market by 10 percent in the couple of months with increased promotion, ahead of the annual Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) that is set to be held in Nairobi this year from October 1-3, 2025.
“We are receiving a lot of enquiries with increasing interest to visit Kenya by the Ugandans in the course of the year. Our current capacity of four flights a week is also a flexible arrangement that can accommodate more trips based on the number of customers we get,” Mwangangi said, while pointing out that POATE and MKTE have strengthened the visibility of EAC region in the global map.
Adrian Baya, Kilifi County Chief officer in charge of Tourism, said that the Kenyan coast remains a key favorite spot for Uganda because of the beach and golf experience, with Kilifi’s Vipingo Ridge Golf Course, the only PGA golf course in Africa, being a major golf sport showcase.
He disclosed that wedding and honeymoon have become experiences pulling Ugandan travelers to the Kenya coast. “Our strategy now is to link our local tour operators with those of Uganda to widen marketing opportunities existing in both countries for the purposes of complementarity,” Baya said.
Kenya was among the over 260 exhibitors at POATE 2025 held at Speke Resort in Munyonyo, and attracted over 70 international buyers, over 5,000 trade visitors and leading industry professionals from across the region and beyond.
