13 Interesting Facts about Tourism in Kenya
- Tour The Rift Safaris
- Oct 23, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 11, 2018
Kenya's total area is 580,387 sq.km where 569,140 sq.km is the total land area and 11,227 sq.km is the area of territorial waters. The country has a 536 km long coast line. Kenya's neighbors include Ethiopia, Somali, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania.
8% of Kenya’s land mass is under government protection as National Parks (30, 348 sq.km), National Reserves and Sanctuaries (18,042 sq.km), and Marine Parks and Reserves (548 sq.km).
Tourism is the second largest revenue earner for Kenya and accounted for 13.5% of the country’s GDP in 2017 alone. This is close to USD 1 billion. 1.4 million people visited Kenya in 2017. Tourism generates an average of US$ 7.1 trillion annually worldwide.
Kenya tourism sector supports 250,000 jobs and an additional 350,000 indirectly. The sector accounts for 9.3% employment in the country which is relatively high compared to the same in other countries.
The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife noted that in 2015, the sector attracted Kshs. 83.6 billion worth of investments. This figure was expected to rise by 5.2% every year over the next decade.
Wildlife is vital to Kenya’s economy because of its contribution to the tourism sector and the important role it plays in the environment.
Kenya’s Vision 2030 identifies tourism sector as a leading development area for the country. It is aimed that Kenya will be among the top ten long haul tourist destinations in the world offering high end and distinctive experience.
Proactive government intervention in protecting wildlife dates back to as early as 1898. The purpose was to regulate and control indiscriminate hunting of wild animals. Nairobi National Park was the first national park in East Africa and was established in 1946.
Organized poaching and loss of critical habitats due to climate change and human encroachment of wildlife settlements in Kenya continue to pose the biggest threat to wildlife decline especially for rhinos and elephants.
Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) which plays a critical role in protecting wildlife animals in the country was created by the Conservation and Management Act in 1989.
Africa is home to about 20% of all known species of plants, mammals, and birds. Kenya alone has over 6500 plant species and 260 of these plant species cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Kenya is also home to 350 mammal species and over 1000 bird species
Kenya ranks as the second highest in the whole of Africa in terms of animal species richness. The country is famous for the "Big Five" game animals which include the lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo. However, the country has also seen a 68% decline in wildlife population, this was recorder between 1977 to 2016. Our forest cover has also declined at an alarming rate, Kenya only had 7.4% forest cover in 2017.
The country has seven beautiful ecosystems which include savanna, fresh water, forest and woodland, marine, urban, and croplands.
Savanna dominates the ecosystems in Kenya with a coverage of more than 80%. It is characterized by grassland, scrubland and woodlands. The ecosystem receives less than 600 ml annual rainfall. The ecosystem is home to Kenya’s famous big five: elephants, lions, rhinos, buffaloes and cheetahs plus many other herbivores and carnivores.
Kenya is one of the top safari destinations in the world. Its wildlife ecosystems are unparalleled, and have played host to great wildlife documentaries.
If you are looking for a destination to enjoy a memorable and adventurous wildlife animal safari, please visit our page on Safaris in Kenya for more information.
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