Kenya approves TouristTap platform to drive cashless payments in tourism sector

April 15, 2026 in Foreign News, Technology & Telecoms, Travel & Tourism by Editor

Mr Kamal Budhabhatti Founder Craft Silicon (3rd from Left) and Chad Pollock – Vice President & General Manager, East Africa, Visa (In Grey Suit) during the launch of TouristTap in Nairobi. A defining moment of partnership—bringing together innovation and trust as industry leaders Craft Silicon, Visa and KCB unite to power seamless tourism payments through TouristTap.

Kenya has approved the TouristTap platform for nationwide use across its tourism sector, aiming to streamline cashless payments, enhance visitor experience, and improve transparency in a KES 500 billion industry.

 

The Government of Kenya has approved TouristTap, a digital payments platform developed by Craft Silicon, for use across the country’s tourism sector in a move aimed at accelerating cashless transactions and improving visitor experience.

The platform was unveiled at the “Tap into Kenya” event in Nairobi and will be deployed across key tourism touchpoints, including national parks, hotels, coastal destinations, and other attractions.

Officials say the rollout is part of broader efforts to modernise Kenya’s tourism ecosystem by integrating secure, seamless payment systems for both international and domestic travelers.

TouristTap enables users to make payments directly from NFC-enabled mobile devices by entering local till numbers, paybills, or mobile numbers, and completing transactions with a secure PIN. The system eliminates the need for cash or currency exchange, allowing tourists to transact more easily across multiple service providers.

The platform is supported through a partnership involving KCB Bank as the acquiring partner and Visa, with payment processing powered by CyberSource on the Visa Acceptance Platform.

According to stakeholders, the integration is designed to ensure global standards of security, reliability, and scalability, enabling high-volume, real-time transactions across the tourism value chain.

Kenya’s tourism sector generated approximately KES 500 billion in revenue in 2025, underlining its importance to the economy and the need for more efficient payment systems.

Speaking at the launch, Rebecca Miano said the adoption of digital platforms such as TouristTap would strengthen Kenya’s position as a competitive global tourism destination.

She noted that improving payment systems is critical to enhancing visitor experience and boosting transparency across the sector.

Craft Silicon Group CEO Kamal Budhabhatti said the platform would support financial inclusion and operational efficiency by enabling secure, cashless payments across the tourism ecosystem.

From the payments sector, Chad Pollock said seamless and secure transactions are a key component of modern travel, adding that digital payments can help unlock growth across the tourism value chain.

Johnson Ondicho said the bank is providing the acquiring infrastructure to support the platform, in line with efforts to expand digital payments adoption in key sectors.

TouristTap is expected to enhance transaction transparency, reduce reliance on cash, and improve efficiency for businesses operating within Kenya’s tourism industry.