by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 10:25 AM ET, Wed June 17, 2026
As Africa enters a new stage in tourism growth, new data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) analyzed just how important Kenya is to the continent’s tourism growth.
New Economic Impact Research conducted with Oxford Economics found that travel and tourism contributed $12.7 billion to Kenya’s economy last year, representing 9.3% of its GDP and supporting 1.8 million jobs, about 8.3% of its total employment.
International visitor spending accounts for 52.4% of tourism expenditure, with 2.5 million international travelers visiting Kenya in 2025, up 5.6% year over year.
Another strong metric for Kenya’s economy: international visitor spending exceeded outbound travel spending by $3.96 billion.
Sustainability is a major factor in Kenya's global tourism attractiveness: while the global travel and tourism industry sources 5.9% of its energy from low-carbon sources, Kenya’s travel industry sources 19.9% of its energy from low-carbon sources—making it not only a continental leader in sustainability but a global one.
"Africa is now one of the fastest-growing tourism regions globally, and Kenya is helping lead that momentum,” said Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO. “With a strong economic contribution, a balanced demand model and clear leadership in sustainable tourism, Kenya demonstrates what long-term Travel & Tourism success can look like.”
Kenya Leading Africa’s Tourism Growth
Kenya’s tourism industry is just one part of the larger story: Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions for travel and tourism.
Travel contributed $228 billion to Africa’s economy last year, about 7% of GDP, and is growing at 5%. Growth is expected to continue through 2026, contributing $241 billion and growing another 5.4% year over year. Africa’s travel industry is projected to create 9.4 million jobs by 2036.
International visitation grew 14.1% in 2025, welcoming over 99.2 million international travelers, and that’s only expected to grow this year, too.
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