Kenya mulls easing e-visa rules to boost cruise tourism
"We will be changing our visa and Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to make entry into the country easier and seamless so that there is no paperwork or unnecessary delays for visitors," President William Ruto said on Sunday after receiving over 3,000 holidaymakers aboard cruise liner MS Norwegian Dawn.
The government is considering to revise visa and Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) requirements for tourists coming to Kenya through the the Port of Mombasa as part of wider push to drive up visitor numbers.
According to President William Ruto, by greenlighting multiple-entry under eTA, cruise tourists keen on exploring holiday offerings in Mombasa can switch between ships and the historic town without the requirement to get approval every time they leave the boat.
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"We will be changing our visa and eTA to make entry into the country easier and seamless so that there is no paperwork or unnecessary delays for visitors," President William Ruto said on Sunday after receiving holidaymakers aboard cruise liner MS Norwegian Dawn.
This ship docked at the Port of Mombasa with over 3,100 holidaymakers on board.
Dr. Ruto noted that the planned visa and eTA changes will be in sync with other changes that have been undertaken to streamline the experience for international arrivals at the country's main points of entry.
Statistics from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife show that a total of 6,561 cruise tourists entered Kenya last year, with the sub-sector experiencing 163.5 percent growth.
Dr. Ruto's sentiments were also supported by Rebecca Miano, the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, who noted that a multiple-entry eTA, along with increased investment in ports has the potential to enhance cruise tourism even further in the years ahead.
Last year Kenya's experienced 15 percent growth in international tourist arrivals to 2.4 million, up from the 2.09 million holidaymakers who visited the country in 2023. At the same time, the country's tourism revenue receipts increased by 19.8 percent to KES452.20 billion shillings (about $3.49 billion) from $2.92 billion realized in 2023, the ministry announced last week.
"Cruise ships were at an all-time high a few years ago, and then we experienced a slowdown. But last year, we had (about) 6,500 visitors, while this year, we expect the number to rise as we expect another eight cruise ships to dock," Dr. Ruto said.
