By Eddah Waithaka
A controversial new park ticketing platform threatens to siphon an estimated Ksh370 million annually from Kenya’s tourism sector through hidden “gateway fees,” the Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) warned today.
The Federation accuses the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of rolling out the system without consultation, disrupting payments, inflating costs, and flouting a court order that suspended new park fee rates.
Speaking at a Nairobi press conference, KTF Chairman Fred Odek stated the move places unsustainable pressure on an already strained industry and risks damaging Kenya’s competitiveness.
“The rollout of the new system was premature and non-compliant with a valid court order,” Odek said. “Beyond the legal issue, the platform has introduced serious financial and operational challenges for tour operators.”
The new system restricts payments to M-PESA and Visa cards, eliminating the bank transfer option essential for large group bookings.
More critically, it slaps a 5% ‘gateway fee’ on every transaction, a cost that often remains hidden until the final payment stage.
This additional levy could cost the industry at least Ksh370 million each year in unbudgeted expenses, a significant blow as park fee revenue is projected to grow from Ksh7.41 billion in 2024 to Ksh16.58 billion by 2028.
In response, the KTF is demanding immediate action from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife and KWS, calling on them to:· Restore the previous eCitizen payment system to reinstate flexible payment options.· Suspend the 5% gateway fee pending a full stakeholder consultation.· Comply with existing court orders to ensure transparency and the rule of law.
“Digital progress should not translate into economic hardship for legitimate businesses,” Odek emphasized. “We remain open to collaboration with KWS and the Ministry, but urgent corrective action is needed.”
