Following a prolonged period of global travel bans, more people are taking up international travel, be it for leisure or business.
Uber has revealed the top destinations that Kenyans have visited, via a comparative study from 2019 and 2021, showcasing top city trips and holiday destinations.
In 2019, the East African capitals of Dar es Salaam and Kampala were among the top cities that Kenyans traveled to. This was followed by Johannesburg, London, and Doha in the same year. In 2021, top destinations included Doha, Dar es Salaam, London, Johannesburg, and Kampala.
Other cities beyond Africa that were popular among Kenyans in 2019 include; Washington D.C, New Delhi, Dubai, and Toronto, compared to Washington D.C, Toronto, Birmingham, and New York City in 2021.
“The uptake in travel is providing a much-needed lifeline to travel and hospitality industries locally and internationally. As more people take trips for business and leisure, Uber is available to provide safe and reliable on-demand rides in cities locally and across the globe,” says Brian Njao, Head of East Africa, Uber.
Kenya is a leading tourist destination for nationals from all over the world. Nationals from the United States, South Africa, and Qatar were listed as the top nationalities visiting Kenya in 2021, compared with nationals from the United States, the United Kingdom, and India visit in 2019.
According to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya has shown steady growth in tourism since 2015. The country’s tourism arrivals grew by 3.9% from 2.02 million tourists in 2018 to 2.05 million tourists in 2019. Domestic tourism numbers in Kenya grew from 3,645,144 in 2017 to 3,974,243 in 2018, recording a 9.03% growth.
According to Uber’s data, Lisbon ranked the most popular city across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) among Uber riders, claiming the top spot from London in 2019. In addition, the United States ranked the most popular country among Uber riders in EMEA, while five European countries joined the top ten (Portugal, Spain, France, UK, and Poland).
Regardless of where one’s travels take them, their safety as they use various modes of transportation remains a key consideration. Uber has also introduced safety tools at users’ fingertips such as the Safety Toolkit. Uber has further developed safety mechanisms in response to COVID-19, including a pre-trip safety checklist, a world-first mask recognition technology, and a 14-day financial assistance to drivers who have been quarantined by a medical professional due to COVID-19.