The government is planning to extend the period of validity for travellers using the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system, which has been subject of controversy over recent months, the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Rebecca Miano, revealed in a recent interview.
- According to CS Miano, among the looming changes is allowing travellers to use the ETA for one or two years instead of requiring renewal at each point of entry.
- In the 2024 Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI), Kenya dropped from position 29 to 46 in the rank of how open it is to visitors from other African countries, despite introducing a “visa-free policy” earlier that year.
- This was largely due to the existing challenges in the ETA system that replaced visas, some of which include accessibility hitches and delays in processing.
“We need to review the ETA to make it quicker. The biggest recommendation from the report and from travellers is that it should be for multiple entry. This means, if you have your ETA now, you can use it for a year or two,” CS Miano told The Kenyan Wall Street in a recent interview.
The performance of the ETA system spurred an uproar from Kenyans who taunted it for worsening the situation. Many travellers to Kenya have to apply online for authorisation before leaving their country. The process could take three days to affirm eligibility for travel. To last minute travellers, this system adds an extra complication that’s further worsened by the inherent inbuilt need for predictability, which makes it hard to change itineraries to, for example, extend one’s stay.
“We have active engagements with other ministries, including the ministry of Interior and Transport, as well as other stakeholders to receive feedback and sort out these issues,” CS Miano said.
The decision to do away with the visa requirement at Kenya’s points of entry was meant to ease foreign investment and tourism. However, some Kenyans criticized the ETA system when it was being rolled out, citing that it was totally antithetical to a ‘Visa-free’ policy – adding that it would backfire in the long run.
CS Miano, however, maintains that the ETA system is more efficient than the visa requirement – pointing out these challenges as ‘normal’ occurrences at the onset of implementing any new system. She said that the ETA system will simply be reviewed and streamlined, rather than being set aside completely.
“There is a thin line between asking for a Visa and the ETA based on the ease of feeling and getting the ETA. The first meeting we will have this January will be multi-sectoral to look at what we need to do to make the ETA better and improve our visa openness index,” Miano said.
The CS added that some of the concerns the government has received include the bulk of information that is needed when applying for the authorization. According to many travellers, most of this information could automatically be acquired if the system was plugged into data from the immigration department. This would eventually save time needed to complete the process and relieve the strain of application.
Plans for the tourism sector
According to Miano, the tourism sector is on the recovery path after the stagnation that has lingered since the pandemic. Besides injecting KSh 400 billion to the economy annually, it remains a major forex earner and a crucial source for employment (1.5 million jobs).
Although there was a 21% increase in the number of international tourists travelling to Kenya in the first half of 2024, the declining rank in the ease of travelling could be a hindrance to the greater prospects of the tourism industry. The ministry has an array of plans this year to rejuvenate a sector facing stiff competition from upstarts like Tanzania and Mauritius.
This involves diversifying tourism products from the traditional safaris and beach experiences. Miano says that there would be keen interest in cultural tourism – aggressively promoting festivals and showcasing UNESCO cultural sites in the country. The CS is also pushing for greater investment in sports tourism, nature and wellness tourism, and even agro tourism.
The diversification of tourism products will also go hand in hand with broadening the demographic of international tourists Kenya has been known for – Europe and the US. Intense marketing will also be focused on Asian and Caribbean countries. “To support that, we have launched nine circuits divided into the regions we have in the country. You can go to the coast circuit, the northern circuit, the western circuit, and the mountain circuit – each of these circuits giving you a niche experience of those products,” Miano said.
The CS also believes that retaining tourists is important in the marketing process. By upgrading infrastructure along various tourists’ spots, encouraging hospitality, and properly accrediting and classifying hotels to meet tourists’ expectations – international visitors will broadcast their unforgettable experiences to others. The multiplier effect has been noted to account for 45% of the tourists who visit Kenya.
