South African Tourism expands MKTE presence as Kenyan arrivals grow 7.7%

South African Tourism is expanding its presence at the 16th Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), taking a larger delegation of South African tourism businesses to Nairobi as Kenyan arrivals to South Africa increased by 7.7% between January and August 2026.

The delegation includes 20 South African tourism businesses, up from 17 participants in 2025, with 14 of the participating businesses being MSMEs. The increased participation reflects South African Tourism’s focus on turning growing demand from African markets into tangible market access and business opportunities for smaller tourism enterprises.

The 16th MKTE takes place at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi this October, where South African Tourism, together with the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB), is showcasing the country’s leisure, business events and MICE offering to buyers from across East Africa.

Between January and August 2026, South Africa welcomed 36,497 visitors from Kenya, while arrivals from across Africa reached 6,001,535, representing year-on-year growth of 13.4%. Total international tourist arrivals reached 7,581,455 during the same period, up 11.7%.

For South African Tourism, the focus at MKTE is not simply on participation, but on converting buyer engagement into commercial opportunities for tourism businesses. The organisation is tracking buyer meetings, qualified opportunities, follow-up actions and post-show outcomes to assess the longer-term value generated through the platform.

“Kenya is showing positive year-to-date growth, and that creates a real opportunity for our tourism businesses,” says Evelyn Mahlaba, Regional General Manager: Africa at South African Tourism. “Our objective is to connect South African tourism products directly with the buyers and distribution partners shaping travel decisions across East Africa, and to convert that engagement into stronger distribution, more bookable products and sustainable business opportunities.”

South African Tourism is also extending its engagement beyond the exhibition floor, hosting a networking dinner for 100 travel-trade, MICE and corporate travel stakeholders on 7 October, followed by targeted trade engagements with leading Nairobi travel agents on 9 October.

The increased MSME representation is a key element of the programme. Fourteen of the 20 participating businesses are MSMEs, compared with 10 MSMEs among the 17 South African participants at MKTE in 2025. The programme is intended to give smaller tourism businesses direct access to buyers, distribution partners and potential itinerary opportunities in a strategically important regional market.

As Africa continues to account for the majority of South Africa’s international tourist arrivals, South African Tourism sees stronger intra-African trade relationships as an important avenue for expanding tourism flows and broadening participation in the tourism economy.

Media and trade representatives attending MKTE can visit the South African Tourism marketplace at Stand D11 at Uhuru Gardens from 6–8 October 2026.

We would be happy to facilitate further information, interviews or comment from South African Tourism representatives on:

The 7.7% growth in Kenyan arrivals and the outlook for the market

South Africa’s strategy for growing intra-African tourism

The role of MSMEs in expanding tourism market access

The commercial outcomes South African Tourism is seeking from MKTE

Opportunities to strengthen Kenya–South Africa tourism trade and connectivity.

Africa remains central to South Africa’s tourism growth strategy. Participation at platforms such as MKTE enables South African Tourism to work closer to market, broaden industry participation and strengthen the trade relationships needed to convert demand into travel.

Mahlaba added, “Africa already accounts for the majority of South Africa’s international tourist arrivals, but there is still significant room to grow travel between African markets. Improving access, strengthening trade partnerships and making more South African tourism products easy to package and book are central to unlocking that opportunity.”