The 16th Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) will be held from October 6 to 8, 2026, at Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi, Kenya. The event will bring together local and international travel and tourism stakeholders under the theme ‘Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the future of Tourism.’ The Akwaaba African Travel Market will participate as an exhibitor, continuing its involvement since its debut at MKTE in 2025.
Akwaaba’s Global Presence and African Travel Impact
Akwaaba has engaged in international travel fairs for 22 years, including London’s World Travel Market, Istanbul’s EMITT Travel Expo, Berlin’s ITB Berlin, Uganda’s Pearl of Africa Travel Expo (POATE),
Tanzania’s Kilifair Expo in Arusha, Zimbabwe’s Sanganai, South Africa’s Travel Indaba, and in Lagos, Nigeria. Its primary focus is to promote intra-African travel by linking Africans through networks of tour operators, hospitality, aviation, and tourism professionals.
The African travel market attracts over 3,000 tourism professionals from more than 20 African countries, evidencing Akwaaba’s reach across the continent’s travel sector.
Awards and Notable Attendees at Akwaaba Events
In 2022, Akwaaba received an award of excellence from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the UN Tourism agency, and the Nigerian Ministry of Tourism. The market has hosted prominent figures including Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo
of Nigeria and Dawda Jawara of The Gambia.
Akwaaba organizes key annual events such as the Africa Travel 100 Awards, the African Medical Tourism Expo, and the West African Jollof Rice War, reinforcing its role as an influential platform for African travel and tourism.
MKTE 2026 Focus on Technology and Tourism Stakeholder Connectivity
The MKTE 2026 emphasizes modern digital technologies and artificial intelligence to transform the exploration, management, and booking of travel destinations. The exhibition serves as a forum for stakeholders across East Africa and beyond to engage and collaborate in shaping tourism’s future leveraging digital innovation.
Kenya’s commitment to developing its travel sector is underlined by hosting this
key continental event, with Akwaaba and other significant exhibitors presenting their tourism products and services in Nairobi.
