Global travel and tourism have entered one of the strongest phases of post-pandemic recovery in years, with airlines, airports, and national tourism sectors reporting significant growth throughout 2025, particularly compared with 2024 figures. New data out this week underline how air passenger demand and international tourist arrivals are outpacing last year, reshaping global mobility and presenting fresh opportunities for destinations, including Kenya.
Air Travel Demand Climbs Sharply
Commercial aviation has been a key indicator of the strengthening travel market this year. According to industry reporting, several major carriers, including Air France, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Kenya Airways, EgyptAir, and Royal Air Maroc, recorded an 11.2 % year-on-year increase in passenger demand in November 2025 compared with the same month in 2024. This surge shows not only the continued rebound of international flying, but also a particularly strong performance by African airlines within a global context of uneven recovery.
This growth reflects broader trends documented by aviation analysts: African air traffic is projected to reach approximately 273 million passengers in 2025, up about 9.4 % from the previous year, the fastest regional growth rate in the world, even as the continent still represents a modest share of total global passenger traffic.
For Kenya, increased airline demand, driven in part by expanded networks and codeshares, supports growing international visitation. Kenya Airways, Africa’s national flag carrier, has capitalized on these trends as part of a broader push to enhance connectivity with Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, contributing to both tourism and business travel flows.
Tourism Arrivals Show Solid Growth
On the tourism side, the latest UN World Tourism Barometer indicates that over 1.1 billion people traveled internationally between January and September 2025, roughly 5 % more than in the same period of 2024, despite economic headwinds such as inflation and geopolitical uncertainty.
Africa has been a standout performer within this global upswing. Both North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa saw double-digit growth in international arrivals, with increases of approximately 11 % and 10 % respectively, highlighting the continent’s growing attractiveness among global travellers.
While full-year data for 2025 are still being finalized, these trends suggest that Africa — and destinations like Kenya- will post notable year-on-year increases in visitor numbers compared with 2024, when international tourism had nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels with about 1.4 billion arrivals globally.
December 2025: A Strong Holiday Finish
Although detailed nationwide tourism figures for December 2025 are still emerging, multiple sources point to robust late-year travel demand. Airlines reported that November passenger figures were among the highest of the year, setting the stage for continued momentum into the holiday season. With expanded schedules and rising load factors — the percentage of seats filled — carriers are anticipating a strong December performance overall.
This expected uptick is reflected in hotel performance reviews and travel industry forecasts, pointing to elevated occupancy and pricing in key markets through late 2025. While exact aggregate data for December arrivals are pending release, industry experts say demand patterns are tracking well ahead of late-2024 levels in many regions.
What This Means for Kenya and Beyond
For Kenya, these global trends intersect with national tourism priorities. The country’s parks, coastal destinations, and cultural experiences have drawn increasing interest in 2025, helping extend stays and diversify visitor spending beyond traditional safari circuits. As connectivity improves and airline capacity expands, particularly across African and intercontinental routes, Kenya is positioned to benefit from rising global mobility.
Across the industry, travel experts point to sustained international demand, airline growth, and destination marketing as key pillars of the recovery. But challenges remain, including infrastructure strain in peak seasons and rising travel costs that could moderate future growth.
Still, the 2025 data — from strong airline passenger growth in November to rising international arrivals through the first three quarters of the year — signal a tourism landscape that is not just recovering, but evolving into a more resilient, demand-driven market compared with 2024.
Source: travelandtourworld.com
