- Powering a KES 500 Billion Tourism Economy: TouristTap Transforms Payments for Travelers in Kenya;
Craft Silicon proudly announces the official recognition as an authorized payment option of its innovative digital payment platform, TouristTap, by the Government of Kenya, marking a transformative milestone for the country’s tourism and digital payments landscape.
Unveiled during the “Tap into Kenya” event, Tourist Tap is now approved for use across key tourism
touchpoints, enabling visitors to seamlessly make payments at game parks, hotels, coastal destinations,
and a wide range of attractions across the country.
TouristTap introduces a secure, efficient, and fully cashless ecosystem that allows international and domestic travelers to transact effortlessly without physical currency.
By removing traditional paymentbarriers, the platform enhances convenience, improves transaction transparency, and elevates the overall visitor journey
At the core of this innovation is a strategic partnership with KCB Bank as the payments partner, alongside Visa, powered through the advanced capabilities of CyberSource, delivered via the Visa Acceptance Platform.
CyberSource is used by banks and businesses worldwide to securely process digital payments, manage fraud risk, and support fast, reliable transactions on a scale.
This collaboration ensures that TouristTap operates on globally trusted standards of security, reliability, and scalability, supporting high-volume, real-time transactions across the tourism value chain.TouristTap enables visitors to pay like locals by using their card directly from their NFC enabled mobile devices.
Travelers simply download and register on the TouristTap App and choose where to pay by entering the local till, paybill or mobile number, and complete the payment with a simple tap on their phone and secure PIN.
Payments are processed instantly, allowing tourists to transact seamlessly at shops, markets, hotels, and attractions, without the need for cash or currency exchange.
Kenya’s tourism sector generated approximately KES 500 billion in revenue in 2025, highlighting both its economic significance and the growing need for digital transformation.
TouristTap is positioned to play a pivotal role in this evolution, enabling seamless payment flows while contributing meaningfully to the sector’s continued growth and formalization.
Speaking on the launch, Kamal Budhabhatti, Group Chief Executive Officer – Craft Silicon, emphasized the
platform’s broader impact:
“TouristTap represents a new era of convenience for travelers visiting Kenya.By enabling secure, cashless payments across the tourism ecosystem, we are not only enhancing the visitor experience but also supporting financial inclusion, transparency, and operational efficiency for service providers.”
Hon. Rebecca Miano, EGH, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, who presided as Chief
Guest, added:
“Kenya continues to position itself as a forward-looking, digitally enabled tourism destination.The adoption of platforms like TouristTap strengthens our commitment to enhancing visitor experience, improving revenue transparency, and ensuring that our tourism ecosystem remains globally competitive.”
From the payments ecosystem, Chad Pollock, General Manager and Vice-President, East Africa – Visa, noted:
“Tourism is one of Kenya’s most important economic engines, and how visitors pay is a critical part of the
experience.
Through Visa’s global network and secure payment capabilities, TouristTap enables travellers to pay seamlessly and securely wherever their journey takes them, while helping tourism players operate more efficiently and transparently.
This is how digital payments can unlock growth across the entire tourism value chain Representing the acquiring partner, Johnson Ondicho, Head of Digital Channels – KCB Bank, stated:
“As KCB, we are proud to power the acquiring infrastructure behind TouristTap.This initiative aligns with our commitment to driving digital payments adoption and supporting key sectors such as tourism with scalable and secure financial solutions.”
With its robust infrastructure and strategic alliances,TouristTap is set to redefine how tourists engage with
Kenya’s vibrant destinations, ensuring that every transaction is simple, secure, and fully digital.
