Kenya’s tourism industry is preparing for its largest Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) yet, with thousands of tourism professionals expected in Nairobi as the country seeks to deepen its presence in international markets and expand the business generated from visitors.

The 16th edition of the expo runs from October 6 to 8 at Uhuru Gardens, bringing together international buyers, exhibitors, tourism organisations, airlines, hotels, tour operators, technology companies and other players from across the travel economy. Organisers expect more than 10,000 delegates from 40 countries and more than 400 exhibitors.

The growth in scale follows a strong 2025 edition, which recorded 7,691 delegates, 365 exhibitors and 10,852 business-to-business meetings, according to Kenya Tourism Board figures released ahead of this year’s event. The meetings provide the less visible machinery behind a tourism exhibition: international buyers sit down with Kenyan and regional suppliers to discuss products, destinations, prices and potential commercial relationships.

That marketplace is becoming increasingly important as Kenya pursues its ambition of reaching five million international visitors by the end of 2027. The strategy requires not only attracting travellers to the country but also maintaining relationships with the overseas companies that package, distribute and sell Kenyan tourism products in their respective markets.

The buyer mix illustrates the breadth of that distribution network. MKTE’s hosted-buyer programme includes destination management companies, incentive buyers, independent travel agents, online booking companies and outbound tour operators specialising in Africa. On the supply side are hotels, lodges, camps, villas, experiences, tour operators, DMCs, tourism boards, airlines, transport companies and other tourism services.

This year’s exhibition also puts technology closer to the centre of the tourism conversation. Its theme, “Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future of Tourism,” reflects a market in which the discovery, comparison and purchase of travel products increasingly takes place through digital channels. The programme is expected to examine artificial intelligence, big data, immersive technologies, digital payments and smart-destination tools.

The technology discussion comes as the tourism industry faces a broader change in how destinations compete for attention. A safari, hotel or conference package is no longer presented only through brochures, trade catalogues or face-to-face sales calls; its visibility can depend on how easily information can be found, understood and compared across digital platforms. MKTE is consequently putting the traditional travel trade marketplace alongside the technologies reshaping how that marketplace operates.

MICE is another growing part of the Kenyan proposition. Nairobi’s conference infrastructure, international air connections and proximity to safari and coastal products have allowed the country to position business events alongside leisure tourism. The combination creates a market in which a conference, incentive trip or corporate visit can extend into accommodation, transport, excursions and leisure travel, spreading the value of a single international arrival across several parts of the tourism economy.

The expo itself will also extend beyond the exhibition floor. A UN Tourism Investment Forum is scheduled for October 7, bringing tourism investment into discussions that would otherwise focus primarily on selling destinations and travel products. Following the exhibition, hosted buyers are scheduled to take part in five-day familiarisation trips, allowing overseas buyers to experience Kenyan destinations and products directly.

What happens in Nairobi over the three days will ultimately be measured beyond the exhibition statistics. The more consequential numbers will emerge later—in new buyer relationships, tourism products entering overseas programmes, contracts between suppliers and distributors, subsequent bookings and the investment decisions that follow exposure to the Kenyan market. MKTE is the visible part of that process; much of the business it generates will take shape after the exhibition has closed.

Kenya is looking to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) as an increasingly important source of tourism growth as the country seeks to expand beyond its traditional reliance on wildlife and beach holidays and work towards a target of 5.5 million international visitors by 2028. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Chief Executive June Chepkemei argues that MICE offers a route to broaden both the country’s visitor base and the economic activity generated by tourism.

Kenya’s tourism data already shows the scale of the segment. According to the 2026 Economic Survey, the number of local conferences rose by 12.9 per cent to 12,671 in 2025, while international conferences increased to 998. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics attributed the growth in conferences mainly to the MICE sub-sector.

Unlike conventional leisure tourism, MICE brings several components of the travel economy into a single trip. A conference delegate may require an international or domestic flight, hotel accommodation, airport transfers, meeting facilities, meals, local transport and activities before or after an event. Incentive groups and corporate travellers similarly generate demand across several suppliers, giving travel businesses multiple points at which to participate in the same piece of business.

Chepkemei cites International Congress and Convention Association data showing that more than 11,000 international meetings were held globally in 2024, illustrating the scale of a market in which destinations compete not only for holidaymakers but also for organised business gatherings.

For Kenya’s travel agencies, a stronger MICE market puts greater emphasis on capabilities beyond individual flight and hotel bookings. Agencies serving corporate clients and groups can organise complete programmes covering air travel, accommodation, transfers, conference logistics and extensions into Kenya’s tourism circuits. The commercial value is therefore spread across the itinerary rather than concentrated in a single transaction.

The segment can also distribute tourism spending beyond the conference venue and host city. A delegate attending a Nairobi conference may extend the trip to the coast or a safari destination, while an incentive programme can combine meetings with leisure experiences. Business events can consequently feed into Kenya’s established tourism products rather than operating as a separate market.

The emphasis on MICE forms part of a wider effort to diversify Kenya’s tourism offering. The National Tourism Strategy 2025–2030 identifies MICE alongside cultural, wellness, sports, adventure and agritourism as areas through which Kenya can expand beyond its established beach and safari proposition.

That diversification is taking place alongside efforts to adapt Kenya’s tourism proposition to changing travel markets. In September, Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said digital technology and artificial intelligence were becoming increasingly important to how travellers discover destinations, compare experiences and make travel decisions.

For the travel trade, MICE is therefore less a new standalone tourism product than a broader market for services already provided by agencies, airlines, hotels, transport companies and destination operators. As Kenya seeks to increase international arrivals and conference activity, agencies able to handle groups, corporate accounts and multi-service itineraries will have access to a wider share of the business generated by each visitor.

The growth of the segment will depend on Kenya’s ability to attract international events, retain domestic conference business, maintain competitive venues and accommodation, strengthen air connectivity and turn business visitors into wider tourism demand.

Source: businessdailyafrica.com

Tanzania has removed Nigerian nationals from its Referred Visa Category, ending the additional immigration clearance previously required before their visa applications could be processed. The change, confirmed by Tanzania’s Immigration Services Department on September 25, follows amendments published in Government Gazette No. 246 of 2026.

Nigerian passport holders will now follow Tanzania’s standard visa process rather than seeking separate referral approval. The change does not make travel visa-free: Nigerian travellers must still obtain the appropriate Tanzanian visa through the country’s normal application channels and meet the applicable entry requirements.

Under the previous arrangement, Nigerian applicants faced additional immigration scrutiny and were advised to apply well ahead of their intended travel dates. Removing that step gives travellers and travel agents greater certainty when planning trips, particularly for business travel, tourism, conferences and other journeys with fixed dates.

The policy change also removes a procedural barrier between two major African markets. Nigeria is an important source of outbound business and leisure travel, while Tanzania is a significant tourism destination in East Africa. Simpler visa procedures may make it easier for Nigerian travellers to consider Tanzania, although the eventual effect on visitor numbers will also depend on factors such as air connectivity, fares, destination marketing and overall travel costs.

Tanzania continues to maintain a Referred Visa Category for nationals of other countries whose applications require additional immigration approval. Travel agents handling Nigerian bookings should therefore update their visa guidance while continuing to check the latest requirements with the Tanzania Immigration Services Department before finalising travel arrangements.

For the African travel trade, the change is a targeted adjustment to Tanzania’s visa regime, but one that removes an additional administrative step from travel between West and East Africa.

Dubai welcomed 6.97 million international overnight visitors between January and August 2026, with August recording about 869,000 arrivals, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.

August was the emirate’s strongest month for international visitor numbers since February, with arrivals recording double-digit month-on-month growth since March

The recovery has also been reflected in the hotel sector. Hotel occupancy reached 66% in August, compared with 36% in March, while Dubai’s hotel inventory approached 149,000 rooms. Hotels recorded 21.61 million occupied room nights during the first eight months of the year.

Dubai’s visitor base remains geographically diverse. Western Europe accounted for 20% of international arrivals between January and August, followed by South Asia at 17%, the Gulf Cooperation Council at 16%, and the CIS and Eastern Europe at 14%.

The latest figures were released as Arabian Travel Market 2026 brought the international travel trade together in Dubai from 14–17 September. More than 115 Dubai-based exhibitors are participating, alongside more than 300 international travel trade professionals from over 40 countries through the ATM Hosted Buyers Program.

Emirates adds capacity ahead of winter

The stronger tourism numbers coincide with increased aviation capacity into Dubai. Emirates carried more than 8.6 million passengers in July and August, operating at about 93% of its pre-disruption capacity as it enters the winter travel season.

For Kenyan travelers and travel agents, the airline is set to deploy its A350 on Nairobi services from late October, adding the aircraft to a route that is currently served with three daily flights. The A350 will also be introduced on selected routes to other destinations as Emirates expands capacity for the winter season.

The airline says winter bookings are tracking positively, while more than half a million passengers arrived in Dubai on Emirates flights in late August alone, representing a 7% increase from the same period in 2025.

For Kenyan travel agents, the combination of rising visitor numbers and expanded air capacity provides additional connectivity for clients traveling to Dubai for leisure, shopping, business and stopovers, as well as for passengers connecting through Dubai to destinations across Emirates’ wider network.

Safarilink is offering travel agents 10% off selected fares on routes linking key safari and regional gateways in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, through its distribution partnership with Hahnair.

The promotion is available for bookings made in September 2026, with travel permitted until December 2026. The promotional terms impose no restrictions.

The offer covers routes from Wilson Airport in Nairobi (WIL) to Ukunda (UKA) and Arusha (ARK), as well as international services connecting Nairobi with Entebbe (EBB) and Wilson with Zanzibar (ZNZ).

For clients traveling to the Kenyan coast, the promotion includes Wilson–Ukunda, with two daily services in each direction. The Wilson–Arusha route also operates three times daily, connecting Nairobi and northern Tanzania.

The promotion also covers Nairobi–Entebbe, with daily services and additional evening flights on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The schedule includes a Nairobi–Entebbe service via Kisumu, while the return direction also offers a corresponding connection.

For travelers heading to Zanzibar, Safarilink operates Wilson–Zanzibar services daily, with additional services on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays via Mombasa. The promotion also covers Mombasa–Zanzibar, giving agents another option for connecting Kenya’s coast with Tanzania’s island destination.

Routes and schedules

For Kenyan travel agents, the promotion provides an opportunity to offer clients lower fares while building itineraries that combine safari destinations, the Kenyan coast and neighboring East African markets.

Safarilink is a Kenya-based safari airline operating from Wilson Airport, with a network covering destinations in Kenya and northern Tanzania, including the Masai Mara, Amboseli, Diani, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. Hahnair currently lists Safarilink under both the F2 and H1 codes.

Agents should check availability and the applicable promotional fare in their GDS before booking. The promotional fares are subject to the September booking window and travel period ending in December 2026.

View the Safarilink promotion on Hahn Air

Hahnair, a corporate member of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), has partnered with Finnish regional air mobility platform LYGG to distribute and ticket its corporate shuttle flights through the global distribution system (GDS).

The partnership will initially support LYGG’s new corporate shuttle service between Esbjerg, Denmark, and Groningen, Netherlands, with additional routes expected to be introduced.

LYGG provides regional air services for corporate customers, particularly on routes connecting underserved regions. Its services are available through corporate agreements, and the company focuses on convenient, time-efficient travel for businesses.

Under the partnership, Hahnair will make LYGG’s flights available in the GDS under its HR designator, allowing authorized business travel partners to book and ticket the services through standard reservation systems.

Hahnair’s extensive distribution network connects airlines and air services with travel agencies across global markets. Hahnair works with more than 100,000 travel agencies in 190 markets, providing access to airline content through established GDS and ticketing infrastructure.

This gives KATA members and other Kenyan travel professionals another example of how specialist and regional air services can be brought into the same distribution environment used by travel agencies for corporate and international bookings.

Hahnair will provide LYGG with inventory display, booking and ticketing processes, reporting and technical support. Tickets for the services will be issued on Hahnair HR-169 ticket stock.

The partnership also highlights the growing role of technology and distribution infrastructure in connecting travel agencies with specialized aviation products that may otherwise operate outside traditional airline distribution channels.

“Corporate shuttle flights greatly benefit from reliable and standardized distribution processes via the GDS,” said Adriana C. Carrelli, Vice President, Airline Business at Hahnair.

LYGG Founder and CEO Roope Kekäläinen said the partnership would provide corporate customers with a seamless booking and ticketing experience while allowing the company to focus on developing efficient regional air connectivity.

For Kenyan travel agents serving corporate and international travelers, developments like these matter to the broader evolution of business travel distribution, especially as specialized carriers and regional mobility providers look to reach customers through established travel trade channels.

Nairobi will become the first African city to host the World Athletics Championships after being awarded the 2029 edition of the global competition.

The championships will take place in September 2029, with Kasarani Stadium serving as the principal venue. World Athletics’ announcement on 15 September puts Kenya at the center of one of the sport’s biggest international events.

The scale of the championships makes the award significant beyond athletics. The event is expected to bring about 2,000 athletes from more than 195 countries, alongside coaches, officials, media and spectators, with 50 events contested over nine days.

For Kenya, the choice builds on an established athletics tradition. The country is one of the most successful in World Athletics Championships history and collected 11 medals, including seven golds, at the 2025 championships in Tokyo.

That interest extends well beyond elite competition. World Athletics research found that 68% of people surveyed in Kenya reported a high interest in athletics, compared with a global average of 39%.

Nairobi also has experience delivering international athletics events. Kasarani hosted the 2017 World U18 Championships, while Nairobi staged the 2021 World U20 Championships, giving organizers a strong track record of hosting major competitions.

The challenge now shifts from winning the bid to delivering it. Preparations will need to cover the stadium and training facilities, as well as accommodation, transport, security, medical services, broadcasting, and the movement of thousands of international visitors.

The tourism industry will be closely involved. International sporting events generate demand across the travel chain, from air tickets and hotel bookings to airport transfers, excursions and destination experiences.

For travel agencies and tour operators, the three-year lead time creates room to develop products specifically around the championships. Visitors attending the competition could also be encouraged to extend their stays and combine the event with safaris, coastal holidays and other experiences in Kenya.

The event therefore gives Kenya an opportunity to connect its strongest sporting identity with its wider tourism proposition. Nairobi will provide the stage for the championships, while travel businesses can potentially use the international attention to introduce visitors to destinations beyond the capital.

The 2029 edition will also represent a milestone for African athletics. While the continent has hosted other major World Athletics events, including the World Cross Country Championships in Uganda in 2017 and the World Athletics Relays in Botswana in 2026, it has never hosted the senior World Athletics Championships.

By September 2029, Nairobi will have the opportunity to change that. The immediate priority will be ensuring that the infrastructure and visitor experience match the significance of becoming the first African host.

Kenya is aiming to more than double tourist arrivals from the Middle East, setting a target of 50,000 visitors against the 20,480 recorded in the 2025/26 financial year. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO June Chepkemei, speaking on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, outlined a strategy built around air connectivity, targeted marketing and investment attraction. Israel, Yemen and Iran currently account for 48% of Middle East arrivals, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia contribute 10% and 7% respectively. Emirates operates three daily flights between Dubai and Nairobi, with flydubai, Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways providing additional connectivity to the Gulf.

Beyond visitor numbers, KTB is positioning the UAE as a strategic investment market, with Kenya’s Ambassador Kenneth Milimo Nganga calling for stronger airline partnerships and reduced bureaucratic barriers to unlock Emirati investment in hotels, resorts, wellness facilities and family entertainment infrastructure. KTB is also working with UN Tourism to identify investment opportunities and will engage travel agents through training and joint marketing activities. The board’s “One Diaspora, One Visitor” initiative – which encourages Kenyans abroad to bring at least one visitor to the country – will be activated through a Diaspora Open Day scheduled for 10 October, targeting the Kenyan community across the UAE and wider Middle East. 

Source: atta.travel

Your Visa Is Digital. But Can the Airline Check It?

A passenger arrives at the airport with a valid passport, a confirmed ticket and an eVisa. But how does the airline know that the eVisa is authentic?

It’s an important question because before a passenger can board an international flight, the airline must confirm they hold the documents required to enter their destination country. Get it wrong, and the airline can face fines and removal costs averaging USD 9,000 per passenger. And the answer to how airlines verify eVisas might surprise you.

While travelers benefit from the simplicity of eVisa issuance, airlines suffer from the complexity of verification.

Proof that an eVisa has been issued might take the form of an email, PDF, or QR code. It might require a website query or a direct connection to a government database. In some cases, it’s just a manual verification of a supporting document. And, in practice, there is little in the way of a standard approach.

Imagine what it’s like to be the check-in agent? You need to be prepared for a passenger traveling anywhere in the world, potentially with transit points that also have visa requirements.

Nobody wants to remove the convenience of eVisas from travelers. But with over 100 countries issuing eVisas, a more efficient system of verification is needed. 

Don’t Digitize Fragmentation

Like many challenges that aviation has overcome, the solution lies in standardization. And the good news is that the basic tools to deal with eVisas have already been developed.

IATA’s Control Authorities Working Group has just published best practices for issuing and verifying digital authorizations to travel – Non-Physical Authorizations to Travel, Best Practices for Issuers and Verifiers (2026) (pdf) – building on work at ICAO. Two mechanisms are central to this approach.

The first is interactive Advance Passenger Information, or iAPI. During check-in, the airline sends passenger information electronically to the destination government and receives a real-time response. This allows the government to confirm whether the passenger meets the requirements for the journey.

Airlines report documentation compliance rates up to 20 times higher for countries with comprehensive iAPI systems than for those relying on manual checks. However, fewer than 30 countries currently operate iAPI systems.

The second mechanism is the ICAO Digital Travel Authorization, or DTA. It provides standardized, digitally signed proof that an electronic authorization has been issued. Instead of every country producing a different confirmation, the essential information is presented in a consistent format that can be authenticated.

The two mechanisms can work together. iAPI enables an airline to verify a passenger’s status directly with a government in real time. A DTA provides standardized proof of the authorization, including when an iAPI check is unavailable.

Moving Forward

Of course, there is a big difference between developing tools and using them. And with national security concerns in play, universal iAPI and DTA adoption will likely take some time. But that is not an excuse to do nothing in the interim period. 

Governments can, for example, align existing visa confirmations with international standards, develop verification methods that integrate with airline check-in systems, and involve airlines before launching new programmes. And, it’s important to note that aligning with global standards does not compromise their authority to decide who needs a visa, the criteria for entry into their territory, or any other aspect of immigration and border control policy.

Governments have made considerable progress in digitizing visa applications and approvals. Verification now needs to catch up. The question should no longer simply be: How do we issue a visa digitally? It must also be: How will an airline on the other side of the world know that it is valid?

Digital visas can make travel faster, simpler and more secure. But they will fulfil that promise only when they are as straightforward for airlines to verify as they are for passengers to obtain.

Source: iata.org