KWS faces backlash over new park ticketing system, fees

Kenya's tourism industry has raised alarm over a new Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) park ticketing system that could cost the sector more than Sh370 million annually and could further threaten the country's competitiveness as a global destination.

This came as tour operators also held a protest in Nairobi over new park entry fees. 

The Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF) on Monday faulted KWS for introducing the new digital payment platform without adequate consultation, warning that the move has disrupted operations and inflated costs for tour operators and travel agents.

“The rollout of the new system was premature and non-compliant with a valid court order,” said KTF Chairman Fred Odek at a press conference in Nairobi.

“Digital transformation must be transparent, inclusive and fair. It should not translate into economic hardship for legitimate businesses.”

Under the revised ticketing framework, KWS has restricted payments for park entry to M-Pesa and Visa cards, scrapping the bank transfer option long used in bulk or international transactions.

KTF also opposed the introduction of a five per cent gateway fee, which it said has complicated payment processes and raised the cost of doing business at a time when the tourism industry is still recovering from the shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and global inflation.

According to a Regulatory Impact Statement by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, park fee revenues are projected to increase from Sh7.41 billion in 2024 to Sh16.58 billion by 2028.

However, KTF argues that these projections fail to account for the hidden costs that could drain up to Sh370 million annually from the sector due to the new system.

This was one of the reasons why tour operators from allover the country took to the street on Monday, marching from Uhuru Gardens to the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) headquarters to protest what they termed as arbitrary and punitive decisions affecting the tourism sector.

The demonstrators, drawn from various companies under no specific umbrella body, accused KWS of ignoring court orders, hiking park fees without consultation, and introducing an illegal 8.5 percent payment gateway charge.

Speaking during the protest, the operators said the abrupt implementation of new park entry fees had caught the industry off guard, disrupting bookings made more than a year in advance.

“We supported KWS when they said they needed more funds for conservation, but they went ahead to increase park fees overnight without notice,” said Munyaka Njiru, one of the operators.

They further accused KWS and the Ministry of Tourism of sidelining key industry players in policy making.

“You cannot wake up one morning, come up with unconsulted fees, ignore a court order and expect us to sell Kenya competitively,” said destination marketer Moses Kiprono.

Another protester, Njeri Mwai, said the new charges were squeezing businesses already struggling to recover from the post-pandemic slowdown.

“These fees are not being absorbed by clients, we are the ones paying. It’s turning us into non-profit organizations,” she said.

Receiving the petition, KWS Director General Erustus Kanga dismissed the allegations, but also requested four days to engage with relevant stakeholders and respond formally.

KWS recently announced a transition from the old eCitizen platform to an upgraded system branded KWSPay, launched on November 1 in partnership with eCitizen.

In a joint statement, Prof Kanga and eCitizen Director General Isaac Ochieng, said the new platform was designed to improve efficiency and accessibility to national parks, reserves, and sanctuaries.

The protesting operators, however, demanded that KWS suspend the new park fees until December 31 to allow time for adjustment and consultations, warning of escalated action if their concerns are not addressed.

“If our demands are not met, we will march to the Tourism Cabinet Secretary’s office, and if that fails, to Parliament,” said Njiru. "We also demand immediate suspension of unlawful gateway charges."

They also called for the reinstatement of the previous eCitizen payment system, which they described as more reliable and affordable.

“If the new system cannot accommodate what worked before, let’s go back,” said tour operator Moses Ochieng.