Kenya Tourism Earnings Double As Arrivals Soar

 

Elephants are seen as tourists visit Tsavo West National Park, amid the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Tsavo region, Kenya, September 21, 2021. REUTERS/Jackson Njehia

By Reuters

Kenya's tourism earnings more than doubled to 167.1 billion shillings ($1 billion) from January to August from 83 billion shillings in the same period a year ago, Tourism and Wildlife Minister Najib Balala said on Friday.

Balala said in a statement the earnings were a result of a 91% rise in the number of international visitors to 924,812 partly due to a recovery from the pandemic and forecasts strong growth to the end of the year.

Tourism alongside horticulture, tea and remittances are Kenya's top foreign exchange-earners.