Visitors from New Zealand spent more than twice the daily average of international tourists in Kenya, while cash remained the most commonly used payment method among foreign visitors.
- •Residents of New Zealand spent an average of KSh47,755 per person daily during the two survey periods covered by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), ahead of visitors from the United States, who spent KSh40,355, and Canada at KSh29,473.
- •The figures compare with an overall daily average of KSh19,306 for inbound tourists, according to the KNBS Inbound and Outbound Tourism Expenditure Survey 2025, based on surveys conducted in December 2024 and June 2025.
- •New Zealand residents’ daily expenditure rose to KSh78,095 in June 2025 from KSh39,771 in December 2024. Visitors from the United States spent KSh60,141 daily in June, while those from Australia spent KSh48,230.
The figures point to a wide gap in the spending power of Kenya’s tourism recorded the lowest average daily expenditure, at KSh7,631 across the two survey periods, compared with KSh27,900 for <a href="https://absafricatv.com/meta-removes-3-7-million-accounts-in-west-africa-scam-crackdown/" title="Meta removes 3.7 million accounts in West Africa scam crackdown”>West African visitors and KSh28,830 for those from France
The figures measure average daily spending, not total revenue generated by each market. The overall contribution of a country’s visitors also depends on how many arrive and how long they stay.
The spending patterns are relevant to tourism businesses weighing where to direct marketing and product development, particularly as Kenya seeks to increase earnings from international travel. Higher daily expenditure can create opportunities for hotels, tour operators, restaurants, transport providers and retailers, although the survey does not establish the profitability of serving any particular market.
Cash dominates payments
Despite the high daily spending recorded among some long-haul visitors, cash remained the most frequently reported payment method among inbound tourists.
Cash usage increased from 69.7% in December 2024 to 72% in June 2025. Credit-card usage was broadly stable, at 32.8% and 32.2%, respectively, while mobile-money use edged up from 14.7% to 15.2%.
Debit-card usage declined from 24% to 13.5% over the same periods, while bank transfers accounted for 5% of reported payment methods in December and 4.6% in June.
The payment categories are not mutually exclusive, meaning visitors could report using more than one method.
The continued reliance on cash suggests that digital payment services have room to expand across tourism-related businesses. For hotels, tour companies and other operators, accepting cards and mobile money alongside cash could make transactions more convenient for visitors and improve the recording of spending.
However, the survey does not link payment choices to individual nationalities. It therefore does not show whether visitors from New Zealand, the United States or Canada were more likely to pay in cash or electronically.
Organised tours attract higher spending
The survey also found a substantial spending difference between visitors travelling on package tours and those arranging trips independently.
In June 2025, package tourists spent an average of KSh49,444 daily, compared with KSh8,796 for non-package visitors. Across the two survey periods, average daily expenditure was KSh43,879 for package tourists and KSh10,119 for those travelling without packages.
The difference suggests that organised tours are associated with much higher recorded daily expenditure. Package arrangements commonly bundle accommodation, meals, transport and excursions, while independent visitors make their own choices on services and budgets.
Most surveyed inbound visitors travelled without a package, accounting for 72.7% in December 2024 and 72.9% in June 2025. This leaves a large segment of the market outside organised tour arrangements, even as package visitors record substantially higher daily spending.
