Home to breathtaking views, rich culture and an extraordinary array of wildlife, Kenya is a highly sought-after tourist destination that saw over 2.4 million visitors arrive in the country in 2024. With such an influx of tourists every year, the tourism industry of Kenya contributes significantly to the local economy and thus is a vital contributor towards the country’s overall Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Therefore, with tourism playing such a vital role in the economy, the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) was established to help develop, implement, and coordinate the national tourism strategy of the country, and deliver Kenya as the destination of choice for tourists all over the world.
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KTB was established in 2011 as a state corporation regulated under the Tourism Act, with the central goal to market Kenya as the ideal all-year-round destination where you can experience the beauty of what the country has to offer. To achieve this, KTB is focused on overseeing and implementing the National Tourism Market Strategy of Kenya. This strategy is a multifaceted approach which is focused on developing the tourism industry, whilst also boosting the agricultural exports of Kenya and increasing the digital transformation of Kenya through e-commerce. In achieving this, KTB hopes to promote Kenya as a year-round, sustainable and highly sought-after tourist destination, bringing new and returning customers to the country every year.
KTB are vital to the development of the National Tourism Market Strategy, with its function dedicated to marketing Kenya on a local, national and international level as the premier destination of choice. To continually promote Kenya, KTB is focused on identifying tourism market needs and trends, which it can then work alongside its stakeholders and governmental figures to deliver on. Across its entire operation, KTB is passionate about positioning Kenya as the most visited tourist destination in Africa.
A key facet of KTB’s operations is ‘Magical Kenya’, which is a slogan used for the country’s tourism marketing. This phase is designed to highlight the magical experience that Kenya has to offer across its diverse array of travel experiences beyond just safaris and beaches. It’s clear that for Kenya, one of the most significant avenues of tourism is wildlife tourism, driven by the national parks and reserves that the country has to offer. However, as part of its ‘Magical Kenya’ marketing push, KTB has been set on also highlighting the key adventure activities the country has to offer, as well as the rich culture and heritage experiences available to tourists across the country.
For adventure, tourists can experience everything from mountain trekking to hot air balloons or water-based sports in the Rift Valley. Then, for culture and heritage tourism, tourists can experience rich and immersive experiences that showcase the country’s diverse ethnic groups, historical landmarks and unique traditions. Ultimately, Kenya offers so many different and unique experiences, making it the perfect destination for all types of tourists, and this is something KTB are passionate about promoting across the global tourism market, whilst supporting the people who live and work across Kenya in the process.
One of the key roles of KTB is to work with key stakeholders across the tourism sector to help develop Kenya as a thriving hub for global travel. In February, KTB announced that it had signed an agreement with Tour Operators Society Kenya (TOSK) to help deliver Kenya as the preferred tourism destination globally. The partnership will see the two entities carry out collaborative marketing campaigns aimed at highlighting all 47 counties in Kenya, in order to promote many of the lesser-known destinations across the country. Through joint marketing campaigns, KTB and TOSK will be able to leverage traditional and digital platforms to attract domestic and international travellers. This partnership aims to open new opportunities for joint promotion and growth for the sector, as outlined by June Chepkemei, CEO of KTB, in the announcement: “This partnership formalises and solidifies our long-standing collaborative efforts. We have jointly undertaken numerous initiatives and programs, and we will continue to work together synergistically, as it is crucial for us to tap into the vast potential of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) within the sector.”
Chepkemei continues, “Our tour operators are at the forefront of promoting Kenya as a destination therefore this pact creates a framework for us to work closely with TOSK, leveraging their expertise in identifying hidden gems across the country and beyond that, supporting upcoming entrepreneurs in the tourism sector.” These comments by Chepkemei highlight just how vital this partnership is to businesses working across Kenya to deliver a greater influx of tourism to support local businesses economically, whilst recognising the sought-after beauty that Kenya has to offer. Furthermore, this partnership will continue to develop training and capacity-building programs to support TOSK members in order to enhance the service delivery and the growth of businesses. These will then be even better placed to serve the growing local and international tourism industries of Kenya for many years to come.
To promote tourism in Kenya, KTB also recently attended the annual Zambian Travel Expo (ZATEX). Every year, ZATEX brings together exhibitors from across both local and regional tourism sectors, as well as National Tourism Organisations (NTOs), government agencies, conservation groups, non-governmental groups, investors and hosted buyers from across international markets to promote tourism within their respective countries. Many of these represent both small and medium-sized businesses that are at the heart of Africa’s tourism industry. For KTB, ZATEX provides the perfect setting for which it can deepen its collaboration within Africa’s tourism ecosystem and highlight the ‘Magical Kenya’ spirit.
Commenting on KTB’s presence at ZATEX 2025, Chepkemei outlined, “We are aware of the immense potential that lies in leveraging collaboration and our participation in ZATEX is part of a continuing MOU made between Zambia and Kenya. We will continue to partner in ensuring that the private sector on both ends and partners national carriers Zambia Airways and Kenya Airways can close any gaps that can give both destinations more arrivals. The EXPOs are a perfect platform to build the bridges we need for our destinations.” Chepkemei’s comments here highlight just how valuable networking is for KTB to allow it to work together with other countries and tourism key figures to develop the tourism industry of Kenya alongside those across Africa in the process. This collaborative effort helps to strengthen marketing initiatives between countries and will hopefully be a fundamental step in helping KTB achieve 5 million tourists to Kenya by 2027.
As KTB looks towards the future, the tourism industry of Kenya looks set to vastly expand over the coming years. With goals to reach 5 million visitors to the country by 2027, KTB is primed to enhance Kenya’s tourism industry through its networking, promotion and partnership operations. With so many different aspects drawing tourism from across the world, KTB exhibits the ‘Magical Kenya’ spirit, highlighting for every tourist across the world why Kenya is the destination of choice.
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