Kenya’s Cabinet has approved a review of its visa-free policy after the country dropped 17 spots on the Africa Visa Openness Index, falling to 46th out of 54 nations.
Why it matters
The review aims to address complaints about the country’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, which replaced visas in January.
The $30 ETA fee and three-day processing time have drawn criticism for being costly and slow, potentially deterring visitors.
Details
- The Cabinet plans to reassess the system on January 7, according to Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano.
- Officials hope the review will help improve Kenya’s accessibility ranking and boost tourism numbers.
The big picture
Tourism is a critical sector for Kenya, generating $2.7 billion last year. The government has set an ambitious target of attracting 5 million tourists annually by 2027, up from 2.1 million in 2023.
Some fear the ETA system could hinder these goals if left unchanged.
Source: Semafor
