Kenya is strengthening its links with the global travel industry after Emirates Holidays and the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at expanding travel opportunities and strengthening cooperation across the country’s tourism sector.
Signed in Nairobi on September 28, the agreement connects Emirates Holidays’ portfolio of destinations, experiences and holiday packages with KATA’s network of more than 300 travel agencies across Kenya.
The partnership will give Kenyan travel professionals greater access to destination information, product training and promotional opportunities, enabling agencies to offer a broader range of travel experiences to their customers.
Dubai will be a major focus of the collaboration, while travellers will also gain access through Emirates Holidays to destinations across its wider network, including Bali, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Hong Kong, Greece, Finland, Chile, Jamaica and Australia.
The agreement also provides a platform for Emirates Holidays and KATA to explore joint marketing campaigns, trade webinars and industry events, including the 2026 Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.
Targeted holiday packages and promotional offers will also be developed for KATA member agencies, giving Kenyan travel businesses additional tools to market and sell international travel experiences.
The MoU was signed at the Emirates Travel Store in Nairobi by Maitha Albutehi, Business Development Manager for Emirates Holidays – Africa Markets, and Dr Joseph Kithitu, Chairman of KATA. Emirates Country Manager in Kenya Christophe Leloup and Kenya Sales Manager Nafisa Salim also attended the signing.
Leloup said the agreement reflects Emirates’ commitment to building long-term partnerships with Kenya’s travel trade. He noted that Emirates’ third daily Nairobi service, launched in July, had strengthened connectivity and created additional opportunities for leisure travel.
For KATA, the partnership comes as Kenyan travellers increasingly seek a wider range of international destinations and experiences.
Dr Kithitu said the agreement would strengthen the role of Kenyan travel agents in the growing outbound tourism market while giving agencies opportunities to diversify their offerings and connect more closely with the international travel ecosystem.
The partnership also forms part of Emirates Holidays’ broader strategy to strengthen its presence in African markets through cooperation with travel industry stakeholders.
While the agreement focuses significantly on outbound travel from Kenya, the relationship also has an inbound dimension. Emirates Holidays offers travel packages into Kenya, supporting international visitors seeking to experience the country’s wildlife, coastline, cultural heritage and hospitality.
Kenya has long been an important destination within Emirates’ African network. The airline began operating to Nairobi in 1995 and has progressively expanded its services, reaching 21 weekly flights between Nairobi and Dubai.
The increased connectivity provides a platform for Kenya’s tourism industry to reach travellers across Emirates’ wider international network while also giving Kenyan consumers greater access to destinations around the world.
For Kenya’s travel agencies, the agreement creates opportunities to strengthen destination knowledge, develop new packages and respond to changing traveller preferences.
For the wider tourism economy, stronger links between airlines, travel agencies and international destinations can support activity across accommodation, transportation, hospitality and other tourism-related businesses.
As Kenya continues to expand its connections with global tourism markets, the Emirates Holidays-KATA partnership adds another link between the country’s travel industry and a wider international network, opening new possibilities for both Kenyan travellers and visitors coming to experience the country.
