Nairobi – Stakeholders from various travel agents are being challenged to embrace greater cooperation, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), to strengthen Kenya’s travel payment ecosystem, particularly in the digital payments sector.
During Kenya Travel Industry Payment Summit 2025 (KTRIPS 2025) held in Nairobi on Thursday, Juanita Omanga, Deputy Director Digital Payment Services Division of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), emphasized that collaboration will promote innovation, enhance consumer protection and improve service delivery across the travel payments ecosystem.
“Public-private partnerships contribute to expanding digital travel payment solutions. We ensure that technology is a common responsibility to benefit major airlines, excursion agents and individual travelers.”
Recognizing the challenges in the digital payments field, particularly digital fraud, phishing fraud and cross-border payment delays, Omanga has expressed optimism about future solutions.
She highlighted that continuous innovation, strategic partnerships and a strong regulatory framework will enable everyone to achieve a safe, efficient and accessible payment ecosystem.
Omanga also highlighted that Kenya was at the forefront of digital payments with mobile money services that enhanced financial inclusion and simplified payments.
“Digital innovations such as Quick Response (QR) payments, purchase payment options and real-time cross-border payments are reshaping the travel experience,” she said.
Nicanor Sabula, CEO of Kenya Travel Agency Association (KATA), highlights the growing importance of safe and efficient digital payment solutions for the travel industry.
“Payment systems are more than just processing transactions, they are becoming more crucial to improving customer experience, driving business growth and increasingly ensuring the security of the digital landscape,” he said.
Sabula further emphasized that KTRIPS 2025 is based on the success of the first event, with a new focus on practical steps to adopting smart payment technology.
Kata Chairman Joseph Kithitu solidified these sentiments and emphasized the importance of digital transformation to keep Kenya’s travel industry competitive.
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“Business has driven digitally, so has payments. The travel industry can’t afford to be left behind,” he said.
Statistically, Kithitu noted that Kenya accounted for 2.67% of total air travel sales in the Middle East and Africa in 2024, reaching $566.8 million, reflecting a 2.11% growth from the previous year.
On his part, Visa Kenya’s country manager John Njoroge emphasized that it is essential that payment solutions adhere to the highest standards of data protection and privacy.
“And as businesses grow, these solutions should be able to handle increasing volumes of trading while complying with various regulations,” he added.
Theme about the conclusion of the two-day summit, “Next-Generation Travel Payment Solutions: Seamless, Smart, Secure,” attracting key stakeholders from the travel industry, the fintech sector and regulatory bodies.
In addition to discussions about security in the digital payments landscape, the summit also examined emerging technologies such as fraud prevention, regulatory compliance and Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
Kata is a national umbrella organization of travel agencies in Kenya, advocating industry best practices, policy reforms and digital transformation to enhance the travel experience for all stakeholders.
