The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has intensified its efforts to attract more American tourists to Kenya, focusing on key metropolitan markets in California. From May 27-29, 2025, KTB led a roadshow across three major West Coast cities: Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
“The American market is showing strong traction and growth, a clear indication that our tourism product is desired by American travelers,” said KTB CEO June Chepkemei. “As Magical Kenya, we offer much more than just safari experiences. Visitors can enjoy authentic cultural immersion, wellness retreats, adventure tourism, diverse cuisine, and meaningful interactions with our amazing people.”
Chepkemei emphasized the crucial role of enhanced direct flight connections to North America, facilitated by partners like Kenya Airways, and the influence of travel advisors in destination selection.
The roadshow facilitated engagement between 20 Kenyan trade partners and travel advisors and tour operators. A significant focus was placed on highlighting Kenya’s diverse tourism offerings beyond traditional safaris, including:
1. Conservation initiatives
2. Adventure tourism
3. Wellness retreats
4. Coastal attractions
5. Cultural engagement opportunities
“Such roadshows provide an opportunity to build knowledge of our destination and showcase the diversity of our tourism offerings,” Chepkemei added. “We seek to address the important role that travel advisors play as key partners in positioning destination Kenya not just to North American travelers, but globally.”
This marketing drive is a core component of KTB’s strategy to increase American tourist arrivals from the 259,180 recorded in June 2024 to 384,000 by mid-2025. This ambitious target builds on impressive results already achieved, with Kenya recording 376,019 arrivals from the Americas in the 2024 calendar year, representing a 15% growth in American visitors and a 23% increase in Canadian travelers compared to 2023.
To further ease connectivity, KTB has partnered with Kenya Airways to offer complimentary tickets for key travel advisors from each target city. Additionally, participating Kenyan trade partners have contributed prizes for raffle winners, with top-performing advisors earning spots on a familiarization trip to Kenya later this year.