Kenya targets 5 million tourists by 2027 – President Ruto

Kenya has intensified a campaign to boost tourist numbers into the country, President William Ruto has said.

With a target of five million international visitors by 2027, the President said the campaign aims to promote Kenya as the home of human origin and a top travel destination for innovation, sports and conference tourism, adventure, wildlife, culture, and beach holidays.

"We are expanding our tourism products beyond wildlife, national parks and beaches to include a wide array. Digital innovation, sports and conference tourism, and culture are the new areas on offer," he said.

He made the remarks when he opened the 2025 Great Wildebeest Migration global live coverage in partnership with China Media Group Africa, at the Masai Mara, Narok County, on Thursday.

The spectacle attracts thousands of international and local tourists who book hotels and camps around the game reserve for the golden chance to watch the world's eighth wonder.

The wildebeests crisscross the Mara River several times in different spots where crocodiles prey on them. The life and death tussle between the gnu and the crocodile forms one of the highlights of the migration as the animals fight to cross the river in one piece.

President Ruto pointed out that Kenya aims to grow tourism that is inclusive, regenerative, and deeply respectful of nature.

"We are focused on tourism that enriches both the visitor and the host, and transforms travellers into ambassadors for Kenya, a country proud of its wild beauty, conservation achievements, and unbreakable spirit," the President said.

"Today’s historic broadcast is a powerful reminder of what is possible when vision meets partnership. It is also a call to the world to travel with purpose, to preserve what is precious, and to pass on a healthier planet to future generations," he pointed out.

The President noted that the Masai Mara, which welcomes more than 400,000 visitors each year, is the crown jewel of our tourism offering.

He explained that sustainable tourism is a living reality in the Masai Mara, where communities thrive, ecosystems flourish, and travellers leave enthralled.

He noted that this remarkable phenomenon is also living proof of Kenya’s towering leadership in conservation.

President Ruto pointed out that Kenya’s efforts to protect biodiversity, restore habitats, and involve communities in stewardship have made the Masai Mara not only a wildlife haven, but also a global symbol of sustainability.

"Our partnership with China, and particularly with China Media Group Africa, echoes this same philosophy - that progress and conservation can go hand in hand," he said.

Through the Belt and Road Initiative and other frameworks, he said, Kenya and China are not only building roads and ports, but also building understanding, trust, and shared responsibility for the planet "we call home".

Last year, President Ruto said Kenya welcomed 2.4 million international visitors, a 15 per cent increase from the previous year and a powerful signal of global confidence in the country’s destinations.

"And the Mara stands tall among them not just for its wildlife, but for the warmth of the Maasai people, whose culture, hospitality, and guardianship make this landscape truly unforgettable," the President said.

He urged tourists to visit the Masai Mara and have experience the exciting adventure of the wildebeest migration.

"To our friends across China, and to all watching around the world, I invite you to explore our treasures from the thundering hooves of the Mara to the calm shores of our coast, from snow-capped peaks to sunlit savannahs," he said.

He said Kenya is open, radiant, and ready to share her soul with the rest of the world.

Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano and Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu, among others, were present.