The 16th edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) is scheduled for October 6 to 8, 2026, at the Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi, Kenya. As East Africa’s key tourism trade fair, MKTE connects local and international travel and tourism stakeholders. The 2026 theme is ‘Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the future of Tourism’, focusing on technologies that redefine destination exploration, management, and customer booking processes.
Akwaaba African Travel Market to Exhibit at MKTE 2026
Akwaaba African Travel Market, which debuted as an exhibitor at MKTE in 2025, will participate again in the 2026 event. Akwaaba primarily promotes intra-African travel, connecting Africans to African
destinations. The organization targets mainly African audiences and brings together a wide range of industry players from tour operators to aviation professionals.
Akwaaba’s Industry Reach and Award Recognition
Founded 22 years ago, Akwaaba has a history of participation in global travel fairs including WTM London, EMITT Istanbul, ITB Berlin, and fairs across Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. The market attracts over 3,000 tourism professionals from more than 20 African countries. In 2022, Akwaaba received an award of excellence from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the UN Tourism branch, and the Nigerian Ministry of Tourism. VIP attendees at Akwaaba events have included Nigerian President Bola
Tinubu, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Gambian President Dawda Jawara. The organization also hosts annual events like the Africa Travel 100 Awards, the African Medical Tourism Expo, and the West African Jollof Rice War, held over three days in Lagos.
African Tourism Collaboration at Nairobi’s Historic Venue
MKTE 2026 at Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum offers a platform for enhancing regional tourism collaboration under the digital transformation theme. The event targets travel professionals looking to explore modern technological innovations impacting African tourism development. Featuring the Akwaaba African Travel Market alongside other major exhibitors, MKTE 2026 aims to strengthen intra-African travel and the continent’s
tourism industry networking.
