Business

Kenya’s travel industry is experiencing a new wave of regional movement, driven by increased tourism flows, conference travel, and stronger air connectivity across East Africa.

This momentum shaped discussions at the 2025 Kenya Travel Industry Business Awards (KeTIBA), where industry leaders examined how digital systems and financial tools can support the rising traffic.

Daily flights between Nairobi, Entebbe, Kigali, Arusha, Mombasa, and Zanzibar continue to grow, strengthening East Africa’s tourism corridor.

Travel agents say this mobility is creating more bookings, faster turnaround times, and higher expectations from travellers seeking quick and seamless transactions.

Behind this growth is the pressure on agencies to process bookings and settle payments with airlines within tight windows.

Most agencies operate in a credit-based environment, clients book first, pay later, while airlines require settlement within days.

This mismatch has made payment reliability a central industry concern.

Equity Bank’s Director of SME Banking, Collins Wanyonyi, observed that the sector has reached a critical point where digital efficiency is no longer optional.

“Travel agencies work under strict timelines where delays can mean lost seats or penalties,” he said.

“The entire ecosystem depends on payment systems that can move money instantly and accurately. Our work is to ensure the systems behind those transactions are reliable so businesses can serve travellers without delays.”

American Express Vice President Jonathan Curtis noted that high-value travellers, both local and international, continue to contribute significantly to tourism revenue.

“Premium travellers spend more and expect frictionless transactions,” he said.

“When payments move smoothly, it strengthens confidence in East Africa as a competitive travel destination.”

Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) CEO Nicanor Sabula said the sector is still heavily credit dependent.

“Agencies must often fund airline payments before receiving money from customers, a challenge that intensifies during holidays and school break,” he said.

He added that traditional credit limits have constrained agencies during peak periods, forcing many to pause bookings or negotiate for alternative arrangements.

Beyond celebrating excellence, KeTIBA awards help push the industry toward better service, digital transformation, and stronger compliance.

Stakeholders noted that a more technologically equipped travel sector is essential for Kenya to remain competitive amid rising regional tourism.

• Smart tourism advancement ensures a seamless, convenient experience by allowing hotel guests to bypass front desk check-in after a one-time ID and biometric upload
• Securely held data will remain valid until expiration of ID, meaning faster check-in on subsequent visits, further enhancing the visitor experience for repeat guests

Dubai has announced the citywide introduction of a one-time contactless hotel guest check-in solution, setting a new global benchmark for guest convenience, safety, and innovation in the hospitality sector, and giving guests the option of bypassing in-person check-in procedures once implemented at the city’s hotels and holiday homes.

The pioneering biometric and digital technology capability, developed by Visit Dubai and available through several independent providers, is now available for immediate integration at hotels and holiday homes across Dubai, empowering guests to enjoy a seamless and expedited arrival experience.

Its introduction underscores Dubai’s commitment to leveraging advanced technology to further enhance its position as a future-forward global tourism destination, prioritising both guest satisfaction and operational excellence.

The innovative system allows guests to complete all check-in formalities prior to their arrival, directly from their mobile phones. By uploading essential identification documentation and biometric data once, the entire process is streamlined, significantly reducing or eliminating traditional check-in times.

Upon arrival, guests can bypass the usual check-in desk formalities at the start of every stay at participating hotels. The securely held data then remains valid until the identification document expires, meaning only a quick authentication, such as through facial recognition, would be required on subsequent visits.

Repeat visitors make up almost a quarter of total annual visitation to Dubai, and this new service welcomes them to the city with added convenience, consolidating their affinity for the destination.

Issam Kazim, CEO of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Visit Dubai), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, said: “The rollout of this guest-centric innovation will minimise friction from the moment travellers land, providing them a seamless, efficient start to their stay and maximising their time to enjoy our destination. It further enables efficient return visits for our loyal repeat guests, and allows Dubai’s hotels and holiday homes to focus on delivering more meaningful, high value guest interactions. This technology offers immense potential for hotels to further elevate their services, and we invite more owners and operators to integrate the capability into their systems, to optimise the guest experience.”

The solution is designed for easy integration into existing hotel apps or web platforms, ensuring a smooth transition for participating establishments. Beyond its immediate benefits, the technology holds significant potential to be leveraged across other tourism touchpoints, such as car rentals, paving the way for a more integrated and customised visitor experience throughout the city. It also builds on the incorporation of smart technology across the destination, including the introduction of smart tunnels at Dubai International Airport, which have reduced processing times at passport control to just seconds.

Dubai’s hospitality sector has been one of the cornerstones of its growth as a global destination, with world-class facilities and service available at 820 hotels and hotel apartments across the city. Complementing Dubai’s wider offerings, it has helped the city reach new heights, welcoming 15.70 million international overnight visitors in the first ten months of 2025, up 5% year-on-year, with guests spending a total of 36.71 million room nights at hotels across the emirate.

Over 350 investors from Africa and beyond participated in the 2025 Kenya Trade & Investment Roadshow, a week-long mission designed to provide first-hand exposure to the country’s investment landscape across multiple sectors.

Participants toured priority economic sectors, including Special Economic Zones (SEZs), industrial parks, manufacturing hubs, logistics corridors, agribusiness projects, and ICT and innovation ecosystems.

The site visits were complemented by structured networking sessions, enabling investors to engage directly with sector leaders, policymakers, and potential partners.

Real estate emerged as a key focus for many participants, with a site visit to Tatu City in Kiambu County drawing particular attention.

The 5,000-acre mixed-use SEZ, part of Kenya’s Vision 2030 blueprint, combines residential, commercial, educational, medical, and industrial facilities.

Investors were briefed on planned infrastructure, including schools, offices, shopping districts, medical clinics, recreation areas, and a manufacturing zone expected to support over 250,000 residents.

Jeannette Amom, a Cameroonian investor, noted that the mission provided critical sector-specific insights and networking opportunities.

“The site visit at Tatu City allowed us to assess investment potential across multiple segments of a modern urban development,” she said.

Amom highlighted the SEZ incentives, including reduced corporate taxes, zero-rated VAT, import duty exemptions, and stamp duty waivers, as significant factors in evaluating investment viability.

Other participants indicated plans to conduct more detailed due diligence, focusing on market potential, projected returns, competitive positioning, and regulatory conditions. The availability of credible local partners, institutional support, and government policy clarity were cited as important considerations for investment decisions.

AQ Hamza, Director for International Trade Relations at Equity Group, said the sector-focused tours were designed to present investors with tangible opportunities underpinned by a stable business environment.

“By highlighting Kenya’s regulatory framework, infrastructure, talent pool, and sector-specific advantages, the mission aimed to demonstrate the country’s potential as a gateway for scalable, high-growth investments in the region,” Hamza explained.

Investors also emphasized Kenya’s skilled workforce, cost-efficient operating environment, and access to regional supply chains as competitive advantages.

Long-term assurances regarding investment protection and scalability were highlighted as critical factors for committing capital.

The 2025 Kenya Trade & Investment Roadshow reinforced investor interest in Kenya’s economic sectors, particularly real estate, and provided a platform for assessing opportunities in a structured, data-driven context.

Another stop investors made was in Limuru Dairy.

Delegates watched from viewing corridors as fresh milk flowed through pipes into processing units for yoghurt and other dairy products, while on the factory floor rows of packaged yoghurt cups moved toward distribution.

But beyond the modern equipment and neat operations, the real story was the network of farmers behind it.

Hundreds of small-scale farmers, many organized in cooperatives, supply milk to the dairy every day.

Investors saw farmers at a milk collection point, arriving with chilled milk cans, receiving instant payment confirmations on mobile phones, and getting advice from extension officers on feed, animal health, and hygiene.

During a plant briefing, managers walked delegates through the entire chain: cooling systems, antibiotic checks, quality standards, and efforts to cut losses using solar-powered chillers.

If Limuru Dairy demonstrated coordination and processing efficiency, ForestFoods illustrated how working with nature can be a competitive advantage.

On the farm, kale, herbs, and legumes grew side by side; windbreaks reduced wind damage; helpful insects hovered over flowering strips; and compost piles steamed quietly as they matured.

The farm team spoke honestly about challenges, pests, labor needs, and learning as they go, but they also shared how this approach builds resilience: better yields over time, healthier soils, and lower reliance on expensive farm inputs.

A Trade and Investment Roadshow held in Nairobi has positioned Kenya as a key gateway to a whooping 350m consumers in East and Central Africa.  

Over 300 policy makers, investors and businesspersons from 35 nationalities in Africa and beyond on Friday converged in Nairobi for a three-day summit that sought to explore business opportunities in Kenya.  

Addressing the summit, Equity Group CEO Dr. James Mwangi urged global investors to treat East Africa as a mature investment destination, arguing that Kenya and its regional neighbors now offer the scale, stability, and demographic advantage for long-term growth.  

Mwangi said the region’s fundamentals were aligning in a way that made the current moment strategically important for capital flows.  

“Africa is on a journey of very rapid growth for a prolonged period,” he said.   

“More than 75% of our population is under 35. They are digital natives. They will be your customers and partners for the next two decades.”  

The Kenya Trade and Investment Roadshow 2025 was organised by Equity Bank under the theme, “Unlocking East Africa: Kenya’s role as the Engine of Regional Prosperity.”

The summitfollowed the successful Trade Mission in Rwanda, where Kenyan traders joined over 300 investors from more than 20 countries in a continental dialogue on growth and opportunity.  

Mwangi asked investors to resist conservative engagement and instead pursue decisive transactional partnerships.  

“Please don’t go home with your idea,” he said. “It may not be the winning idea, but it may trigger the winning idea. And it might also be the winning idea that others will build on.”  

He emphasized that the roadshow was designed not as a diplomatic exchange but as a deal-making platform.  

“Spend more time in the one-on-one meetings, not just having a cup of tea, but signing agreements,” he said. “And those agreements should not end with a handshake; I invite you to shake hearts as you agree.”  

Mwangi presented Kenya as not merely a domestic market, but as a springboard into a broader integrated region.  

“See Kenya as the hub of the East African Community, and see a population of 350 million people,” he said. “That is a sizable and growing market whose GDP per capita is rising.”  

Equity Group, he said, now possesses the regional footprint and financial partnerships to support corporate expansion into East and Central Africa.  

“We are systemic in six markets, and our influence will open doors for you,” he said. “The World Bank, through IFC, is our second-largest shareholder, and the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund, the largest on earth, is our largest shareholder.”  

He noted that Equity’s network of partnerships across banking and development finance institutions made it capable of mobilising capital where necessary.  

“I cannot personally write the cheque to fund every investment proposal, but I have built formidable partnerships, from KCB, to Ecobank, to Standard Chartered, to Absa.   
The opportunity is here with us. Together, we can make this work,” he said.  

Africa’s natural-resource advantage, Mwangi argued, will underpin the continent’s strategic role as the world transitions to renewable energy and sustainable production.  

“There will be no energy transition without strategic minerals,” he said. “Africa is over-endowed. God was very generous.”  

Also addressing the forum, Rt. Hon. Lord Swire, Deputy Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, said Kenya’s evolution into a regional economic hub reflected long-term institutional progress.  

“Kenya and its growth never cease to amaze me,” he said.   

“The opportunities are enormous, and I am astonished by what this country has become.”  

He said Commonwealth nations presented a ready trading bloc with structural efficiencies.  

“It is cheaper for one Commonwealth company to do business with another, an audited advantage of 19%,” he said.  

 “Don’t forget the Commonwealth. Look closely at the opportunities within it.”  

The trade roadshow continues as part of Equity’s wider international engagement programme linking Kenyan and regional companies to global capital sources.  

On his part, Aliou Maiga, the Regional Industry Director for the Financial Institutions Group in Africa at the International Finance Corporation, said Africa must nurture a generation of visionaries who not only think boldly but also execute boldly.   

He noted that this mindset is critical, especially at this point in the continent’s development, where unlocking economic opportunities for a rapidly growing population will shape the continent’s long-term trajectory.  

“Africa needs people who think big and make things happen,” Maiga said.   

“This is relevant today given where the continent is, and the urgent need to expand economic opportunities for our population. If we are able to create the right conditions and enable people to realize their potential, the future of this continent will be secured.”  

He emphasized that the World Bank Group’s role is anchored in supporting countries to build resilient and competitive economies by offering resources and expertise that catalyze sustainable growth.   

“As the World Bank, our mandate is to help develop economies by providing financial resources, technical expertise, and policy guidance to support sustainable development,” he said.   

“We work with governments, private sector partners, and communities to fund infrastructure, education, health systems, and innovation initiatives that can transform people’s lives.”  

Maiga also highlighted East Africa as a continental pacesetter in innovation, describing the region as a fertile ground for digital transformation and entrepreneurial leadership.   

“East Africa is at the forefront of innovation, leading the way in technology, entrepreneurship, and creative solutions across Africa,” he said.   

“This region has become a hub for startups, digital platforms, and tech-driven enterprises, fostering a culture of problem-solving and forward-thinking. That innovative spirit is driving economic growth, boosting job creation, and positioning East Africa as a key player in shaping Africa’s role in the global knowledge and technology economy.”