Kenya's Gen Zs are driving demand for luxury travel, a new survey shows, shedding light on the evolving aspirations of Kenyan travellers.
Driven by a growing appetite for authentic, sustainable, and experiential travel, the young Kenyans organise excursions as individuals and groups and often engage in tourism activities over several days.
“Kenyans are highly experience-driven and value-conscious. Peer reviews and digital platforms play a pivotal role in shaping their travel decisions,” said Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Chief Executive Officer June Chepkemei recently during a stakeholder engagement forum marking the launch of the 15th edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo.
The KTB data shows that family travellers account for the largest share of the domestic tourism market at 30 percent, followed by solo travellers (25 percent) and corporate travellers (23 percent).
Ms Chepkemei noted a 23 percemt increase in domestic bed occupancy, with five million bed nights recorded. She highlighted a shift in local travel patterns, with Kenyans increasingly marking birthdays, anniversaries, and life milestones through travel—beyond the traditional Easter and December holidays.
This diversification, she said, has also led to more frequent, longer trips, especially around school holidays, with the average stay now spanning four to five days.
“Domestic tourism is no longer confined to short getaways. Kenyans are travelling more often and staying longer, signalling deeper engagement and increased expenditure per trip,” said Ms Chepkemei.
She added that this presents an opportunity for Kenya to promote year-round tourism, especially during low seasons.
On the international front, Kenya recorded a 60 percent increase in tourist arrivals between 2022 and 2024, reaching 2.4 million visitors.
This growth propelled tourism earnings from Sh268 billion in 2022 to Sh 452 billion in 2024, boosting the sector’s contribution to GDP to Sh1 trillion.
Tourism has also been a key driver of employment, with jobs rising from 1.1 million in 2022 to 1.5 million in 2024.
Europe continues to be the leading source of international arrivals (28 percent), with strong recovery seen in the Italian market.
Meanwhile, emerging markets such as the Czech Republic and Poland are on the rise.
The Asian market—led by India and China—has grown 19.5 percent year-on-year, now accounting for 12 percent of arrivals.
