Kenya is moving to shield its tourism industry from the effects of its first confirmed Ebola case, with the government stepping up health precautions while assuring international travellers that the country remains safe to visit.
The reassurance comes as the United States and the United Kingdom issue fresh travel guidance following confirmation of the case, raising new concerns for a tourism sector that is seeking to sustain its recovery after the disruption caused by Covid-19.
At the same time, the government is holding on to its ambition of attracting 5.5 million international tourists by 2028, making confidence in Kenya as a travel destination a key concern.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said government agencies were working together to strengthen preventive measures and maintain the country’s safety standards for visitors.
The Ebola case involves a Kenyan who had been living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Miano described the infection as “an isolated incident” and said authorities had increased surveillance and response efforts.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Health to activate additional precautions to ensure our country remains a safe destination for visitors,” Miano said during the official opening of the 16th edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) in Nairobi.
Miano also pointed to the country’s preparedness structures, saying Kenya has a fully-fledged Resilience and Crisis Management Centre for Tourism based at Kenyatta University.
She said the centre would support efforts to keep the tourism sector ready to deal with emerging threats.
“I must also say that we have a fully-fledged Resilience and Crisis Management Centre for Tourism located at Kenyatta University, and at this particular time, no effort and vigilance will be spared to ensure that Kenya continues to remain a safe destination,” she said.
The government's position was issued alongside new guidance from the UK, which has asked travellers to follow instructions from Kenyan health authorities and establish the health requirements they need to meet before travelling.
The US has also issued fresh guidance, but its position included an expression of confidence in Kenya’s ability to deal with possible Ebola emergencies.
US Chargé d’Affaires Susan Burns said Kenya had strong capacity to respond to the disease, pointing to cooperation between the two countries and their health institutions.
Speaking during a media briefing at the Nairobi Embassy on Wednesday, Burns said Kenya had responded well since the first case was recorded.
“We are impressed with how Kenya has handled the matter since registering the first casualty on Tuesday. The country has one of the most advanced isolation facilities and contact tracing capability in the region. Although cautious, the US doesn’t foresee a travel restriction for now,’’ Burns said.
The US is particularly important to Kenya’s tourism industry as its largest source of international visitors. A total of 306,000 Americans travelled to Kenya in 2025.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has meanwhile advised against imposing travel or trade restrictions on Kenya, the DRC and Uganda following the reported Ebola case.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the organisation was supporting the three countries with contact tracing, surveillance, screening and other measures designed to detect possible infections and limit further transmission.
“WHO advises against any restriction of travel to, or trade with, the affected countries based on the currently available information,” Dr Tedros said.
The health alert has nevertheless created an additional challenge for a tourism industry that has been working to maintain the recovery it recorded after the Covid-19 downturn.
Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers chief executive Mike Macharia said the situation remained a concern for tourism businesses, although there had been no cancellations.
“Yes, it is of concern to the industry but no cancellations yet. We have confidence in Kenya’s public health response mechanisms and are sure that the situation will be mitigated,” Macharia said.
Tourism PS Julius Bitok said the outlook for the industry remained positive, citing continued government spending on infrastructure and Kenya’s hosting of major international sporting events.
The government is therefore seeking to balance increased vigilance over the Ebola case with efforts to maintain Kenya’s appeal to international travellers as it works towards the 2028 target of 5.5 million visitors.