Kenya to increase entrance fees for national parks

The new entrance fees for reserves and national parks proposed by the Kenyan Wildlife Service have yet to be approved by parliament. According to the Southern and Eastern Africa Working Group, the decision should come into force on January 1 next year. Visitors to Lake Nakuru National Park will then have to pay twice as much as before.

Increases in the cost of visiting parks such as the Masai Mara National Reserve have already been decided. Next year it will be the most expensive safari park in the world. The reason for this is the high level of tourism and the risk of animals migrating to other habitats.

Kenyan tourism experts are expressing their dissatisfaction. They oppose the sharp price increases and fear that holidaymakers could be excluded. Tourism is an important economic factor for East Africa. Last year, around 1.5 million tourists traveled to Kenya. The government plans to receive at least 2.5 million visitors by 2026.

Kenyan travel agencies see another obstacle in the planned significant increase in visa fees. They are expected to double. The plan is currently on hold, but tourism experts fear that the government has not yet completely abandoned the idea.

In addition, every tourist will soon have to take out health insurance. Holidaymakers have already repeatedly reported technical problems when applying for an e-visa for Kenya, and the conditions for obtaining a visa are being tightened. This is causing concern among tourists and travel agencies.