Visitor arrivals through the country's two main airports in the first three months of the year hit their highest level in at least a decade, coinciding with a visa-free policy that came into effect earlier this year.
Official figures show that 409,164 visitors arrived in the country through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and Moi International Airport in Mombasa, a 10 per cent jump from the 370,570 visitors recorded last year.
The increase came at a time when Kenya introduced a visa-free policy for all visitors from the beginning of this year in a bid to increase tourism and boost revenue to the economy.
But the policy, announced by President William Ruto, has come under criticism due to hectic clearance processes and the requirement to pay a $30 (Sh3,920 at current exchange rates) processing fee to be cleared under the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).
An analysis of official data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that the number of visitors in the first three months of this year crossed the 400,000 mark for the first time.
In February this year, 146,442 visitors passed through the two airports, but the figure dropped to 128,057 the following month.
The lowest number of visitors in the first three months of a year in a decade was 121,739 in 2021, when coronavirus travel restrictions were still in place.
The visa-free policy is based on the expectation that the high number of visitors will lead to increased spending and thus boost the economy.
But it is the eTA that has sparked complaints, especially from frequent visitors from non-African countries, because of the fees and the short validity of the permit.
Tourism experts have also warned that the eTA is likely to negate the expected benefits of the visa-free policy.
In March this year, the Kenya Association of Travel Agents criticised the new costs and increased paperwork associated with the eTA, which also requires travellers to provide proof of air tickets and hotel bookings.
When applying for an eTA, visitors to Kenya must provide their arrival and departure dates a few days in advance.
The eTA is for single entry and is valid for 90 days, a shorter period than visas, which is a significant inconvenience for frequent visitors who traditionally stay in the country for long periods.
However, Kenya has exempted at least six African countries from the eTA. In addition, expatriates working for the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund top the list of those exempted from paying eTA fees.
The increased number of visitors is expected to further boost the country's tourism earnings, which reached a record high of Sh352.54 billion last year.
About 2.08 million tourists visited the country last year, up from 1.54 million the previous year. However, visitor numbers from June this year are likely to have been affected by the anti-government protests that rocked Kenya.
The protests prompted several countries, including the UK, Canada and Ireland, to issue travel advisories to their citizens visiting Kenya.
