Kenya's tourism-related revenue has increased by 83% in 2022 compared to 2021, but has not reached pre-Covid-19 levels, the Minister of Tourism said on Wednesday.

Kenya, the economic engine of East Africa, is one of the main tourist destinations on the continent, thanks above all to its wildlife.

"Income (linked to tourism, editor's note) reached 268.09 billion Kenyan shillings (about 2 billion euros) compared to 146.51 billion shillings in 2021, which represents a growth of 83%," declared Peninah Malonza, minister of Tourism, at a press conference in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

In 2022, some 1.5 million tourists visited Kenya, an increase of 70% compared to 2021, but without reaching pre-pandemic levels, despite the progressive lifting of restrictions. In 2019, some 2 million tourists had visited the East African country.

American tourists were the most numerous in 2022, with 16% of arrivals, ahead of those from Uganda (12%), the United Kingdom (10%) and Tanzania (10%).

The authorities had declared last May that tourism contributed 10% of GDP before Covid.

Source: AfricaNews