Kenya is targeting a major increase in tourist arrivals from the Middle East, backed by new marketing partnerships with global aviation giants Emirates and Qatar Airways.
The Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed on the sidelines of the ongoing Arabian Travel Market (ATM) tourism expo taking place in Dubai, will combine international air connectivity with targeted destination marketing campaigns designed to turn traveller interest into bookings and arrivals.
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has set a target of 50,000 visitors from the Middle East, more than doubling the 20,480 arrivals recorded from the region in the 2025-26 financial year.
Based on the government’s indicative average contribution of approximately Sh300,000 per international visitor, achieving the 50,000-visitor target would translate to about Sh15 billion contribution to Kenya’s economy through visitor spending.
The MoUs bring together KTB’s destination marketing expertise and the extensive global networks of Emirates and Qatar Airways, creating a stronger platform to build awareness for Kenya, stimulate travel demand and convert that demand into actual arrivals.
The partnerships will see KTB and the two airlines jointly undertake destination awareness and publicity campaigns, conversion-focused marketing, travel trade engagement and media familiarisation programmes across key source markets.
Speaking at the signing, Tourism PS Julius Bitok said stronger aviation partnerships were essential to translating Kenya’s growing connectivity into measurable tourism growth.
“These agreements give us a stronger platform to convert connectivity into arrivals. Our objective is not simply to have more flights coming into Kenya; it is to ensure those flights carry more tourists who stay longer, spend more and experience more of what Kenya has to offer,” Bitok said.
He said the government was working with airlines and the private sector to strengthen market access while ensuring that tourism growth contributes to foreign exchange earnings, employment and investment.
The Emirates partnership will leverage the airline’s extensive international network and Dubai hub to expose Kenya to travellers from established and emerging source markets.
Emirates currently operates three daily services between Dubai and Nairobi, giving Kenya increased access to travellers connecting through one of the world’s major international aviation hubs.
An Emirates representative said the partnership would strengthen the link between air access and destination demand.
“Connectivity provides the pathway, but destination marketing creates the demand. Through this partnership, Emirates and the Kenya Tourism Board will jointly take Kenya’s tourism proposition to consumers and the travel trade, with the objective of converting awareness into bookings and bringing more travellers to Kenya.”
The partnership will further support joint trade and media familiarisation trips. Emirates will provide agreed air tickets for the programmes, while KTB will facilitate accommodation and ground-handling arrangements in Kenya.
The Qatar Airways partnership will similarly expand Kenya’s ability to reach international travellers through Doha and the airline’s extensive global network.
According to Qatar Airways , Kenya has a compelling proposition for international travellers, from wildlife and conservation to the Coast, culture, adventure, wellness and business events.
“Working with KTB allows us to combine our global reach with targeted destination marketing and create greater demand for travel to Kenya.”
The partnership comes as Kenya seeks to diversify its source markets and attract higher-value travellers, including luxury travellers, families, short-break visitors, business travellers and MICE visitors.
KTB chief executive June Chepkemei said the MoUs mark a shift towards more commercially focused destination marketing, with the board increasingly measuring partnerships by their ability to generate actual travel demand.
