Kenya’s tourism industry has witnessed robust growth in hotel occupancies during the festive season, as more domestic and international travelers continue to flock to various destinations across the country.
The development comes even as Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers (KAHC) Coast branch executive officer, Sam Ikwaye, confirmed over 90% occupancy rates across various accommodation facilities in the country, including Kisumu, Naivasha, Machakos as well as the Coastal region, which is synonymous with tourism and leisure activities during the holidays.
According to Ikwaye, the high occupancy has been driven by a diverse range of curated experiences, with hotels and resorts extending their offerings to cater to all budgets and preferences. “Hotels have curated experiences to make this festive season memorable and enjoyable with diverse packages for all clients accommodating all budgets,” he said.
Ikwaye noted that accessibility to the region has been enhanced through improved rail, road, and air transport networks, coupled with robust security arrangements to guarantee incident-free celebrations.
“The county government of Mombasa, through the Mombasa Tourism Council, has partnered with stakeholders to host a myriad of events and experiences, including a swimming gala competition, food festivals, and a boxing competition, ensuring a diverse and rich menu for every traveler,” he added.
Ikwaye spoke during the ongoing Mombasa International Festivals being held at the Mama Ngina waterfront grounds and has attracted both local and international visitors present in the Kenyan coast during this festive season. The festivals that began on December 25th and run till 31st of the same month will showcase the cultural diversity of the coastal people, including artefacts, dressing, cuisines, and dances.
The performance comes amid a 12.98% growth in domestic tourism, with bed nights rising from 3,176,245 in 2023 to 3,588,568 in 2024, representing an increase of 412,323.
Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO June Chepkemei on her part is attributing the growth to various innovative marketing campaigns and broader initiatives under the ‘Tembea Kenya’ umbrella, including the recently concluded ‘Tembea Kenya, Capture Magical Kenya’ photography competition which rallied Kenyans to showcase hidden gems across Kenya’s 47 counties through their lenses.
“It is clear that Kenyans are taking the initiative to travel more within their beautiful country. With festive seasons being peak travel periods, we have seen many creative ways that Kenyans have found to spend time with their loved ones and discover hidden gems that would otherwise go unnoticed. The Tembea Kenya initiatives have been a catalyst of such discoveries and have truly opened people’s eyes to the wonders that exist right on their doorstep,” said Chepkemei.
The CEO also cited partnerships between KTB and county governments as a key enabler of domestic tourism growth stating, “In the coming years, you’ll see more of our strategic partnerships with these devolved units, especially now that we have the nine tourism circuits in place,” she added.
Chepkemei hailed the Mombasa International Festivals as a prime example of how counties can benefit through events that ultimately stimulate economic growth and job creation.
