Kenya to Revise Controversial Visa-free Policy Amid Accessibility Concerns
Kenya, a popular tourist destination, has dropped 17 places on the Africa Visa Openness Index to 46th out of 54 countries as the country announced plans to review its visa exemption policy. In January, the Kenyan government replaced traditional visas with the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system. However, the new policy, which requires travelers to pay $30 and wait three days for processing, has been criticized by many travelers, raising concerns about the policy’s impact on the tourism industry. Tourism contributed $2.7 billion to the economy last year and some fear the ETA system could hinder Kenya’s goal of attracting 5 million tourists a year by 2027, up from 2.1 million in 2023. In response, Kenya’s Cabinet has approved a review scheduled for January 7 to address these issues and improve visitor accessibility. Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano disclosed the development and stressed the importance of restoring Kenya’s status.
source: traffic light
