A new digital payments platform enabling international visitors to transact directly with Kenya’s mobile money systems marks a shift in how tourism-related spending is processed, linking foreign bank cards to M-Pesa and Airtel Money through a smartphone-based interface designed to eliminate reliance on cash and intermediaries.
The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife announced the TouristTap application in Nairobi, positioning it as a tool to streamline payments across the tourism value chain, particularly for small and informal enterprises that have traditionally been excluded from card-based systems.
The platform, developed by fintech firm Craft Silicon in partnership with KCB Bank and global payments processor Visa, allows users to connect debit or credit cards to a mobile application and complete transactions using near-field communication technology, with payments automatically converted into Kenyan shillings.
Tourists can input a merchant till or paybill number or transfer funds directly to a mobile wallet, completing payments through a tap-and-PIN system on NFC-enabled devices.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said the introduction of TouristTap addresses long-standing inefficiencies in visitor transactions, particularly for small businesses that lack access to digital payment infrastructure.
“The ability to move from airport to lounge, from safari vehicle to souvenir stores, from a tour vehicle to a vibanda, without the friction of cash-based systems, is now a baseline requirement,” she said.
According to the ministry, the platform is expected to widen participation in Kenya’s tourism economy by enabling small traders, artisans, street vendors, and local guides to receive payments from international visitors without requiring specialised point-of-sale systems.
Craft Silicon founder Kamal Budhabhatti said the system is designed to integrate card payments with mobile money networks, converting foreign currency into local settlement in real time.
“Essentially, we are converting the traditional card currency into mobile money, regardless of the currency the tourist has in their account. We are converting it to Kenyan shillings for M-Pesa payment,” he said.
KCB Bank noted that the system is designed to bridge fragmented payment ecosystems where mobile money platforms and card networks have historically operated separately.
The application is currently focused on Kenyan shilling transactions, with plans to extend merchant settlement options to foreign currencies in later phases.
Tourism data shows the sector generated about Ksh 500 billion in 2025, supported by rising international arrivals and increased mobility following visa policy changes earlier in the year.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics figures indicate that arrivals through major entry points rose by 48.1 percent to 1.8 million in the first nine months of the year, reflecting renewed momentum in the industry.
The Communications Authority reports that Kenya’s mobile subscriptions reached 51.36 million by December 2025, with M-Pesa holding 89 percent of mobile money subscriptions and Airtel Money accounting for 11 percent.
TouristTap is expected to leverage this ecosystem by linking global payment cards directly into domestic mobile money rails.
The platform is also being positioned for regional expansion across East Africa, with planned interoperability for mobile money systems in Uganda and Tanzania, broadening its use beyond Kenya’s tourism sector.
