January: To improve tourism, Kenya is now welcoming Indian tourists to the destination to sample the Kenyan tourism products in the year 2021. Indian being its key market source, Kenya is now banking to the country in order to boost their international tourism numbers during the year. Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife’s statistics state that Kenya registered a total of 1,22,649 travellers from the Indian market in 2019.
The statistics from the period January to October indicate that the total number of tourist arrivals into Kenya from India was numbered 25,251. The decline in the tourist arrival was attributed given the travel restrictions imposed by both the countries India and Kenya so as to contain the spread of the highly contagious novel coronavirus. As the travel is steadily picking up its pace in the year 2021, Kenya believes that the Indian market is a key to revive its tourism industry in the coming time.
Kenya has introduced a few travel restrictions in order to ensure the safety of its visitors. Their health and safety protocols involve undertaking a covid test for citizens travelling to Kenya at least within 72 hours to their departure and getting physical copies of the same on the arrival. Further, for all age groups, the yellow fever vaccine continues to be mandatory for each Indian travelling coming to Kenya. For this, the travellers must carry a valid vaccine card upon their arrival into Kenya.
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On this, CEO of Kenya Tourism Board, Dr Betty Radier quoted, “Kenya is blessed with many tourism offerings that excite travellers from across the globe. The Indian market is one that has continued to uptake our tourism offerings for many years. Kenya and India continue to have cordial relations, especially because both countries are bound by both history and culture. It is certainly not by mistake that India has been one of our key source markets.”
Dr Radier further assured the travellers that the country is now safe to welcome the tourists back. She further continued, “I would like to assure you that Kenya is safe and ready to welcome you back. We have in place Tourism and hospitality protocols within the hotels, and tourism attractions and experiences as well as our airports to ensure everyone’s safety while travelling.”