Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto has positioned Kenya as a global magnet for tourism, telling the world that visiting the country is more than just a trip; it is a homecoming to the cradle of humanity.
Ruto was speaking on Thursday at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok County, where he launched international coverage of the 2025 Great Wildebeest Migration.
The annual spectacle, often dubbed the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, draws thousands of tourists to Kenya every year and is a major highlight on the global tourism calendar.
“The most important aspect of this land is that people don’t just visit Kenya, they come back to Kenya. This is the home of humankind. This is the place it all started,” Ruto said.
“When you come back to Kenya, you are coming home to reunite your spirit and your soul with the soil where humanity began. And I’m going to showcase to you next time where the earliest remains of the first man on earth are in the Republic of Kenya.”
Some of the oldest human remains, including the famous Turkana Boy, were discovered at Koobi Fora near Lake Turkana in 1984, confirming Kenya’s place as a cradle of humankind.
The remains are estimated to be about 1.6 million years old.
The President said Kenya was leveraging her rich natural and cultural heritage to position herself not only as a premier safari destination but also as a modern, dynamic hub for leisure, business, and innovation.
He noted that Kenya boasts some of the continent’s most iconic landscapes — from pristine beaches on the Indian Ocean to the towering peaks of Mt Kenya and Mt Kilimanjaro.
He said the country is keen on expanding its tourism products beyond wildlife, national parks and beaches to digital innovation, sports and conference tourism.
“Our goal is to attract up to five million visitors in the medium term and ensure that every user of our tourism product leaves with a reason to return home to Kenya, the origin of humankind,” Ruto said.
Ruto also pitched Kenya as a destination where visitors can blend relaxation with innovation.
“We are an interesting destination where you can combine leisure with business. This is also the hub of innovation — where you can travel even as you sample the products of creativity and technology,” he said.
Tourism remains a vital pillar of Kenya’s economy, contributing approximately 10 per cent of GDP and supporting millions of jobs directly and indirectly.
Following a slump during the COVID-19 pandemic, the sector has been on a strong recovery path.
In 2023, Kenya recorded over 1.7 million international tourist arrivals, a 24 per cent increase from the previous year.
The government has since rolled out aggressive destination marketing campaigns, improved digital access to travel documents, and championed conservation policies to make Kenya more attractive to eco-conscious travellers.
Thursday’s global broadcast of the wildebeest migration is part of a broader strategy to position Kenya at the centre of Africa’s tourism revival.
The event also served to brand Kenya not just as a scenic destination, but as a place of historical and emotional significance to all humanity.
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