Tourists look on a lion as it enjoys its early morning wildebeest in Maasai Mara National Reserve, Narok County, Kenya, Sept. 19, 2020. (Xinhua/Nyalwash)
The number of international tourists arriving in Kenya through its two major airports in Nairobi and Mombasa is on the rise as global economies open up amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
NAIROBI, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- The number of international tourists arriving in Kenya through its two major airports in Nairobi and Mombasa is on the rise as global economies open up amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a statistical bureau said on Wednesday.
New economic data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) released in Nairobi shows that since July, tourist arrivals in Kenya have maintained a steady climb up despite the COVID-19 pandemic disruption.
In June, the east African nation recorded 536 tourists, in July the number rose to 618 and maintained a steady rise in August at 13,919 and peaked in September at 20,164, according to KNBS.
The growth offers bright prospects for tourism stakeholders that include hotels and airlines in the east African nation, which are currently relying on domestic tourists for survival.
A recent survey showed most hotels in Kenya expect to attain normal (pre-COVID-19) operations in accommodation and restaurant services by the end of 2021.
The government allocated 4.5 billion shillings (about 41 million U.S. dollars) for conservancy and hotels refurbishment and marketing campaigns. ■
