About 5.8 million people from other African countries visited the nation between January and November 2023.
In the post-COVID era, the tourism industry has proven to be an essential tool for the economic recovery of countries and the case of South Africa is a great example of it. As nations seek to bounce back, tourism emerges as a key sector that not only revitalizes the economy but also strengthens cultural identity and promotes global understanding.
In this context, Kenya played a crucial role in South Africa’s successful tourism narrative, and official figures from Statistics South Africa, published for the period from January to November 2023, support this claim. During this period, Kenya experienced an extraordinary increase of 94.2% in arrivals to the South African country.
This remarkable rise can be attributed to key decisions made by Kenya at the beginning of the year, such as the simplification of visa regulations, backed by successful market knowledge-based marketing campaigns.
Also, the strategic deployment of Kenya Airways has played a crucial role in this success, setting seamless connectivity between Nairobi and the South African cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town. The introduction of direct flights has significantly improved accessibility and convenience for travelers, stimulating an increase in tourism as well as commercial and cultural exchanges.
Just considering the period from January to November 2023, South Africa attracted 5.8 million visitors from other African countries, accounting for an impressive 75.5% of all tourist arrivals compared to the same period the previous year. 1.9 million of this considerable influx of visitors came from Zimbabwe, highlighting the region’s importance in South African tourism statistics.
As mentioned above, Kenya also contributed significantly to this phenomenon, with 37,414 individuals choosing to explore the wonders of South Africa during this period. In November alone, the diversity of tourist inflow was marked by the contribution of African countries not part of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
During that month, tourists from “other” African countries represented 2.0% of the total number, which means 14,647 visitors. Among them, Kenya led with 4,396 tourists, followed by Ghana with 2,987 and Nigeria with 1,679, collectively contributing a significant 61.9%.
The motivations behind Kenyan citizens visits were varied, as reflected by the Statistics South Africa data. The main factor was holiday celebrations, accounting for a total of 4,095 visits. Business-related travels were also observed, with 258 visits, while studies motivated 37 trips.
On the other hand, some Kenyans chose to travel for medical treatments, with a total of 6 recorded cases. These data reflect the diversity of reasons driving cross-border visits by the Kenyan population during the analyzed period. It is worth mentioning that access to personal loans may have also been a significant factor in some of these travel situations.
Tourism Minister, Patricia De Lille, expressed satisfaction with these impressive figures, highlighting the region’s importance and associating Kenya’s success with strategic policy decisions, visa regulation simplification, direct flights, and an effective marketing strategy.
She also emphasized effective collaboration between the Department of Tourism, South African Tourism, and the tourism sector in general as a key factor in this outstanding achievement.
It is important to notice that over the past year, since the visa exemption for Kenyans traveling to South Africa for up to 90 days a year was implemented, notable changes have been observed in tourist flows between the two nations.
The decision announced in 2022, during a joint press conference led by Kenyan President, William Ruto, and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa, has had a significant impact on connectivity and cultural exchange between the two countries.
“This challenge has been with us for many years. With the arrival of the new administration, we are positioned to build a stronger relationship,” President William Ruto expressed at that time, while his South African counterpart highlighted that this agreement could take both business and tourism “to higher levels.”
Thus, this strategic measure has not only facilitated the mobility of Kenyan citizens but has also promoted increased bilateral cooperation and strengthened commercial and tourist ties between the two nations.
Tourism in Kenya
On December 12th, President William Ruto announced that visitors to Kenya, arriving from any part of the world, will no longer require a visa starting this year. During a speech in Nairobi, at an event commemorating Kenya’s 60 years of independence, the president stated that his government has implemented a digital platform to ensure all visitors receive advance electronic travel authorization, eliminating the need to apply for a visa.
As expressed by the President, “no one from any corner of the world will need to bear the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya (…) Kenya has a simple message to humanity: Welcome home!”.
Ruto has long advocated for easing visa-free travel within the African continent. This stance is grounded in the vital importance the tourism industry holds in Kenya’s economy, providing experiences ranging from relaxing beach vacations along the Indian Ocean coast to thrilling wildlife safaris in the country’s interior.
In this context, it is important to note that in the first half of 2023, Kenya’s tourism sector experienced a notable 31% increase in revenue compared to the same period the previous year. This revenue growth was driven by a 32% increase in the number of tourist visits, rising from 642,861 to 847,810.
Additionally, the sector generated revenues totaling 152.6 billion Kenyan shillings (1.06 billion dollars), surpassing the 116.2 billion Kenyan shillings (807.79 million dollars) recorded in 2022, according to data provided by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB). This recovery is particularly significant for the industry, considering it was one of the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The KTB report stated: “Kenya’s tourism sector experienced a notable increase in international arrivals, positively impacting the country’s tourism revenues.” Finally, it emphasized that this performance represents a 92% recovery compared to the 2019 performance, with 929,814 arrivals in the same period.”
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Quotes Advisor digital platform
The Kenya Tourism Board
Statistics South Africa
