KENYA'S foreign tourist arrivals grew by 15 percent in 2024, reaching 2.4 million, up from 2.09 million in 2023, a government official said on Wednesday.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said there was a substantial increase in inbound tourism earnings, which rose by 19.8 percent to 452.2 billion shillings (about 3.49 billion U.S. dollars) from 2.92 billion dollars in 2023.

 "Based on current trends and our growth strategy, we remain optimistic that Kenya is on course to welcome 3 million visitors by 2025, potentially generating 560 billion shillings in tourism earnings," she said during the launch of the country's tourism performance report for 2024 in the coastal city of Mombasa.

 She pledged to foster more public-private partnerships as well as implement policies and initiatives that will contribute to the sustainable growth of the sector and its competitiveness in the dynamic global tourism landscape.

 She said efforts toward tourism product diversification and digital transformation advancement have allowed them to cater to diverse visitor preferences and reach a wider audience through online channels.

 According to the report, the United States maintained as Kenya's top source market, accounting for 12.8 percent of total arrivals, with 306,501 visitors; Tanzania and Uganda followed suit, contributing 8.4 percent and 9.4 percent respectively, reflecting the robust intra-regional travel within the East African Community.

 The report noted that Tanzania recorded the highest increase of 42,133 arrivals, followed by China with a remarkable 29,085 additional visitors.

 The United States, Somalia, Italy, and Uganda also experienced significant increments, underscoring the global appeal of Kenya's diverse tourism offerings, according to the report.

 Miano said the growth performance of the African source market has been phenomenal and continues to take center stage of a very dynamic shift, which is crucial to fostering intra-regional integration and economic growth.