Miano: Kenya targets bigger share of Africa’s luxury tourism market

Cabinet secretary tells Tatler dinner that high-value travel and international events are central to the country’s tourism growth strategy

By John Kariuki

Kenya is stepping up efforts to position itself as a leading destination for luxury travel, hospitality and international events, as the government moves to attract higher-spending visitors and fresh investment into the tourism sector.

Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said yesterday the government was working with the private sector to improve the quality of tourism products, infrastructure and visitor experiences, while placing Kenyan hospitality businesses before influential global travellers and investors.

Speaking at the inaugural Tatler Best Africa Dinner and Awards, Miano said Kenya’s hosting of the event reflected the country’s growing profile in the global luxury travel industry.

“Kenya is proud to host this first edition of Tatler Best Africa. Through the Kenya Tourism Board, our partnership with Tatler reflects our quest to make Kenya a leader in tourism, hospitality, luxury travel and international events,” she said.

The partnership, she said, would give Kenyan hotels, restaurants and tourism businesses a platform to showcase their offerings to influential travellers, investors and hospitality groups. The awards marked the close of the three-day 2026 Magical Kenya Travel Expo, which brought together tourism stakeholders to explore business opportunities, forge partnerships and promote Kenya as a preferred destination.

Miano said the government expected engagements generated during the expo to translate into increased visitor numbers, longer stays and greater investment in communities across the country. She added that Kenya’s tourism offering had expanded well beyond the traditional wildlife safari, with the country now offering experiences built around its coastline, conservation, culture, gastronomy, wellness, adventure, fashion, art and sport.

“Tatler Best Africa celebrates excellence where it matters most: the visitor experience that decides a destination’s competitiveness,” she said, congratulating the hotels, restaurants and establishments honoured at the awards and urging the wider hospitality industry to continue investing in quality, innovation and distinctive service.

The cabinet secretary said the government’s role was to create an enabling environment in which tourism could thrive — supporting investment, product development, connectivity and infrastructure in close collaboration with the private sector. She also called for greater continental cooperation, saying Africa needed more platforms capable of recognising excellence while connecting its tourism businesses to international markets.

Invoking Karen Blixen, who lived and wrote in Kenya, Miano said the country wanted every visitor to feel the sense of belonging captured in the famous opening of Out of Africa.

“Many travellers feel exactly that on arrival, and we want every guest to carry that feeling home,” she said.

The inaugural Tatler Best Africa awards brought together leaders from the tourism and hospitality industry, nominees, honourees and representatives of the international Tatler Group — a gathering Miano described as a springboard for deeper collaboration and stronger connections between Africa and global tourism markets.

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