The Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) hosted its annual tourism trade roadshow in Nairobi to strengthen partnerships with Kenya’s travel industry.
According to the organizers, the event forms part of DET’s ongoing engagement with one of East Africa’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets.
DET says it also considers Kenya as one of its most important tourism source markets in Africa, supported by growing demand for international travel, strong business ties and excellent air connectivity.
“Kenya is one of Dubai’s most important opportunity markets in East Africa. It has a growing and aspirational middle class, an increasing appetite for outbound travel, and long-standing trade and people-to-people ties with the United Arab Emirates,” said Khalaf Alaleeli, Assistant Manager, International Operations, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
The event comes on the backdrop of growing visitors to the city. According to DET, Africa contributed approximately 897,000 visitors to Dubai in 2025, representing around 5pc of all international arrivals, with Kenya continuing to play an important role in that growth.
The organization is also riding on the recent Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Kenya and the UAE, alongside expanded visa-on-arrival eligibility for qualifying Kenyan ordinary passport holders to further strengthen business, trade and tourism between the two countries
“We’re also encouraged by the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in January 2025 between Kenya and the United Arab Emirates, which provides a strong platform to deepen trade, investment and tourism between our countries. It is the UAE’s first such agreement with a mainland African nation,” he added.
The event which brought together at least 130 travel agents, tour operators, airlines and tourism stakeholders who also showcased new experiences available to visitors travelling to the UAE.
The post Nairobi hosts Dubai tourism trade roadshow appeared first on KBC Digital.