Kenya is stepping up efforts to position itself as a leading destination for luxury travel, hospitality and international events as the country seeks to attract more high-value visitors and investment into the tourism sector.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the Government is 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 was a recognition of 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 CS said the partnership with Tatler Africa would provide Kenyan hotels, restaurants and other tourism businesses with an opportunity to showcase their products to influential travellers, advisers, investors and hospitality groups.
She said the event also demonstrated Kenya’s capacity to host major international gatherings while creating memorable experiences for visitors.
The awards came at the end 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 the engagements generated during the expo to translate into increased visitor numbers, longer stays and greater investment in communities across the country.
The CS said Kenya’s tourism offering had continued to expand beyond traditional wildlife safaris, with the country increasingly offering experiences around its coastline, conservation, culture, gastronomy, wellness, adventure, fashion, art and sports.
She said the diversification was necessary as international travellers become more sophisticated and demand distinctive and high-quality experiences.
“Tatler Best Africa celebrates excellence where it matters most: the visitor experience that decides a destination’s competitiveness,” Miano said.
She congratulated the hotels, restaurants and other establishments honoured during the awards, saying their recognition should encourage the wider hospitality industry to continue investing in quality, innovation, service and unique experiences.
The CS said the Government’s responsibility was to create an enabling environment in which tourism could thrive, noting that the sector supports jobs, investment, enterprises and livelihoods.
She said the Government was supporting investment, product development, connectivity and infrastructure while working closely with the private sector to strengthen the industry.
Miano also called for greater collaboration across the continent, saying Africa needed more platforms capable of recognising excellence while connecting its tourism and hospitality businesses to international markets.
She said the Tatler partnership was particularly important because it gave African businesses exposure to a global audience and created opportunities for partnerships beyond the continent.
Quoting Karen Blixen, who lived and wrote in Kenya, Miano said the country wanted visitors to experience the same 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.
Miano urged stakeholders to build stronger partnerships, improve infrastructure, raise standards and invest in experiences that would make Africa’s tourism industry more competitive, inclusive and sustainable.
The inaugural Tatler Best Africa awards brought together leaders from the tourism and hospitality industry, nominees, honourees and representatives of the international Tatler Group.
The CS said the recognition of excellence in African hospitality should be used as a springboard to deepen collaboration and connect the continent more strongly to global tourism markets.
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