NAIROBI, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is seeking to lure more visitors for the remainder of the year amid the recovery of the global travel sector, a government official said on Tuesday.

Najib Balala, cabinet secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife told journalists in Nairobi that for the first six months of 2021, the country received 305,635 foreign travelers.

"We expect the recovery in the tourism sector to pick up pace as we enter the winter season towards the end of the year," Balala said when he received financial contributions for the upcoming Inaugural Magical Kenya Tembo Naming Festival.

Balala said that October, November and December are Kenya's traditional peak season for international tourists.

He noted that the leading source markets for tourists are the United States and the Asian continent.

"Due to quarantine rules, international tourists from Europe remain very low as compared to 2019 figures," he revealed.

Data from the ministry of tourism indicates that Kenya received approximately 100,000 international travelers for the month of August, which is a 14 percent increase as compared to a similar period last year.

Balala observed that Kenya's tourism sector is currently operating at 60 percent of pre-COVID levels and is currently heavily reliant on domestic travelers. Enditem

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