Kenyan President William Ruto has said visitors worldwide will no longer require a visa to visit the country starting January 2024. The president said his government developed a digital platform to ensure all visitors receive an electronic travel authorization in advance instead of applying for visas.

“It shall no longer be necessary for any person from any corner of the globe to carry the burden of applying for a visa to come to Kenya.” The president has consistently campaigned for free visa travel within the African continent. At a conference in DR Congo in October 2023, he revealed that people from African countries would no longer need a visa to visit Kenya by the end of 2023. Reuters reports that tourism plays a critical role in the country’s economy, offering beach holidays along its Indian Ocean coastal areas and wildlife safaris.