Kenya has fallen 17 spots in the latest Africa Visa Openness Index (AVOI), now ranking 46th out of 54 countries.
This sharp decline comes despite the government’s announcement of a “visa-free policy” for African visitors earlier this year. President William Ruto received praise for pledging to remove visa requirements for travelers from across the continent, but the implementation tells a different story.
Most visitors are now required to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) online—a process critics describe as a “visa in disguise.” This bureaucratic requirement, which can take up to three days to process, has dampened the enthusiasm of many potential visitors.
“The ETA is not the same as visa-free; it complicates travel to Kenya,” stated Mohamed Hersi, a hotelier and former chair of the Kenya Tourism Federation. Entrepreneur Gina Din echoed his sentiment, calling for immediate revisions to the policy, suggesting the ETA is merely a bureaucratic barrier, not a solution.
While the Kenyan government defends the ETA as a safeguard against potential security threats, including terrorism linked to al-Shabab militants, the AVOI report shows the system has not boosted accessibility for visitors.
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In stark contrast, countries like Benin, The Gambia, Rwanda, and Seychelles top the index with complete visa-free entry. Meanwhile, despite the setbacks, Kenya still welcomed over a million international visitors in the first half of 2024—an increase of 21% from last year. It’s clear that while the promise of greater openness exists, execution remains a sore point. Kenya must reconsider its approach to ensure it is truly open for business, lest it continue to chase away potential tourists.
