The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) and Visa have signed a partnership agreement aimed at enhancing Kenya’s tourism sector in innovative, data-driven ways designed to drive growth, streamline payments, and create world-class visitor experiences.

The partnership will leverage Visa’s global expertise in payments and data analytics to support KTB’s mission of positioning Kenya as a premier tourism destination. Through joint initiatives, the two organizations will co-develop marketing campaigns, improve payment accessibility across tourist touchpoints, and promote cross-border and domestic tourism spending.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, KTB Ag. CEO Allan Njoroge said that the alliance marks a strategic leap forward for the sector, particularly in the quest to increase visitor arrivals and enhance their experience. “At KTB, we are committed to reshaping the visitor experience to align with the rapidly changing travel landscape,” said Njoroge.

According to Njoroge that the collaboration is especially timely as it equips them with precise insights that go beyond mere numbers. “We now have a lens into how travelers spend, enabling us to craft finely tuned marketing strategies.” Crucially, Njoroge noted.

The pact will enable KTB to track revenue leakages caused by payment system disruptions and solve cross-border payment challenges that often dampen visitors’ enthusiasm. “This partnership ensures we turn data into decisive action,” Njoroge added.

Through the partnership, Visa will provide KTB with access to its Government Insights Hub (VGIH), a data and analytics platform that reveals travel patterns, peak seasons, regional preferences, and consumer spending habits. This real-time intelligence will guide KTB in refining marketing campaigns, pinpointing key source markets, and shaping tourism products that resonate with diverse visitor segments.

Vice President and General Manager, Visa East Africa, Chad Pollock, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, noting its potential to make Kenya’s tourism sector a global leader in innovative solutions.

“Kenya is one of Africa’s most vibrant and diverse destinations. Through this partnership, we are leveraging local insights to craft tailored, practical solutions while empowering SMEs across the tourism value chain with advanced digital payment tools.” He spoke

“Entrenching card payments seamlessly across travel touchpoints means convenience for visitors and impactful growth for businesses.”

 The collaboration comes at a time when technology is reshaping travel journeys. According to Visa’s Navigate “How Travel Trends Are Reshaping Global Payments” report, AI-driven personalized itineraries, contactless payments, and mobile check-ins have become fundamental expectations, especially among Generation Z travelers projected to account for 30 percent of global trips by 2030.

These younger visitors already wield considerable spending power, with 67% making monthly e-commerce purchases while travelling.

Further, cross-border transactions rose to 771 million between June 2023 and June 2024, fueled by e-commerce, travel, and remittances.

The surge underscores the need for reliable, globally accepted payment methods and points to the $250 trillion opportunity in cross-border payments.

Under the agreement, Visa will also support KTB with capacity-building initiatives, ensuring the board fully harnesses the power of digital tools to deliver exceptional results.

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