NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya’s tourism industry could lose more than Ksh370 million every year due to new payment rules introduced by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) has warned.
The Federation says the new park ticketing platform, launched without consultation, has disrupted payments, inflated costs, and ignored a court order that had suspended new park entry fee rates.
Speaking in Nairobi on Monday, KTF Chairman Fred Odek said the new system was rolled out “prematurely” and risks undermining Kenya’s global tourism competitiveness.
“The rollout of the new system was premature and non-compliant with a valid court order. Beyond the legal issue, the platform has introduced serious financial and operational challenges for tour operators and travel agents,” said Odek.
Under the revised payment structure, KWS has limited transactions to M-PESA and Visa cards, scrapping the bank transfer option that was widely used for group or high-value payments.
A new 5 percent ‘gateway fee’ has also been added — a cost that operators say was never disclosed in advance and only appears at the point of payment.
KTF says the extra charge could drain at least Ksh370 million from the sector each year based on projections in the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife’s Regulatory Impact Statement, which anticipates total park fee revenues rising from Ksh7.41 billion in 2024 to Ksh16.58 billion by 2028.
The Federation is demanding that the government:
- Reinstate the previous eCitizen-based system with flexible payment options.
- Suspend the 5 percent gateway fee pending public consultation.
- Comply with existing court orders to uphold transparency and the rule of law.
While KTF says it supports Kenya’s shift toward digital platforms, Odek stressed that such reforms should not burden legitimate businesses.
“Digital progress should not translate into economic hardship for the industry. We remain open to collaboration with KWS and the Ministry, but urgent corrective action is needed,” he said.
KTF, the umbrella body representing private sector associations in tourism, has long advocated for government policies that support a sustainable and competitive industry.
