Saudi Arabia tops Kenyans visa applications as more locals travel to the Middle East region for jobs, according to a new report by outsourcing and technology service providers VFS Global.
Other favourite destinations for Kenyans include Canada and China as per the number of visas processed, while other countries like Italy and Netherlands have increased their popularity.
According to the VFS Global 2024 Travel Trends, the number of processed visas in the country has now reached 80 per cent of the total requests done by the global firm in 2023.
The firm that rolled out its e-Visa platforms, allowing travellers to obtain their visa at the comfort of their homes, saw a surge in demand last year, reflecting a growing consumer preference for convenience and safety.
“Early 2024 travel data shows promising trends. Visa volumes for applications processed via VFS Global in Kenya are already 80 percent of the 2023 numbers. Saudi Arabia, followed by Canada and China, are the top outbound destinations from Kenya,” said VFS Global Head of Sub-Saharan Africa Alok Singhal.
According to the company the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the global travel industry has made it easier for the firm to process travellers’ visas on time despite challenges associated with the technology.
Singhal assured that the firm is committed to supporting the continuing development of travel and tourism to and from the continent by leveraging AI technology to enhance visa application processes as well as to meet the specific needs of clients and governments.
“Although change is afoot, the technology era also comes with its challenges. The need to secure algorithms and data sets is just one of them. It is critical to have an end-to-end security approach, ensuring every step of the process from data collection to storage and usage is robust against potential breaches,” said Singhal.
Travel trends from South Africa in 2023 also witnessed significant growth.
In 2023, total visa applications processed at the VFS Global Visa Application Centres in Kenya witnessed a 61 percent increase compared to 2022.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) report in collaboration with VFS Global, the travel and tourism industry sector in Africa has the potential to boost the continent’s GDP by US$168 billion and generate over 18 million new jobs.
The report noted that policies including enhanced aviation infrastructure, facilitating visas, and promoting travel could spur necessary growth of the continent’s economy.
