Traveling to Kenya? This App Will Save You from Payment Hassles
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Kenya, one of Africa’s leading safari destinations, is expected to welcome over three million tourists in 2025. Alongside wildlife safaris, cultural markets, and coastal attractions, visitors often face challenges with payments, especially when it comes to small traders and “cash-only” businesses.
To address this, Craft Silicon, in partnership with KCB Bank Group and Mastercard, has announced the launch of the TouristTap App, a payment innovation designed specifically for international visitors.
What is the TouristTap App?
The TouristTap App is a fintech solution that converts any NFC-enabled smartphone into a secure point-of-sale (POS) terminal. This means tourists can pay local merchants directly by tapping their international debit or credit cards on the merchant’s phone.
The payment is processed instantly, with the funds routed to the merchant’s mobile money wallet, bank account, or till number.
Whether at game parks, curio shops, restaurants, or grocery stalls, the app removes the need for tourists to set up local mobile wallets or carry large sums of cash.
How the TouristTap App Works
Using the app is straightforward, making it easy even for first-time visitors to Kenya:
- Downloading the TouristTap App – Tourists begin by downloading the app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. An NFC-enabled smartphone is required.
- Making a purchase – When ready to pay, the merchant activates their phone as a POS terminal.
- Tap to pay – The tourist taps their international debit or credit card, or uses their mobile wallet, on the back of the merchant’s NFC-enabled phone.
- Confirming the transaction – For security, some transactions may require entering a card PIN.
- Funds transfer – The amount is instantly settled into the merchant’s local account or mobile wallet such as M-Pesa.
This step-by-step process ensures payments are fast, secure, and accepted widely across Kenya’s tourism ecosystem.
How TouristTap App Would Help the Visitors?
The TouristTap App is designed to improve the overall visitor experience by addressing long-standing payment challenges:
- Close the acceptance gap – Even small-scale merchants, taxi drivers, curio stall owners, and park guides can now accept card payments, turning what used to be “cash-only” transactions into secure digital payments.
- Reduce friction and leakages – Instant settlement to Paybill numbers eliminates issues like lack of change, cash handling risks, and fraud, while speeding up transactions.
- Raise per-visitor spend – Easier, seamless payments encourage tourists to shop more frequently and spend more, which supports Kenya’s tourism earnings.
- Provide valuable data – Digital transactions generate anonymized insights such as top merchant categories, peak tourist spending times, and geographical hotspots. This data helps KCB, Mastercard, and tourism authorities refine services and offers.
- Scale across East Africa – Since many visitors combine Kenya with trips to Tanzania, Uganda, or Rwanda, the app’s planned regional expansion creates a consistent payment experience across multiple destinations.
A Boost for Kenya’s Tourism Economy
The launch of the TouristTap App is not only a technological upgrade but also a boost for Kenya’s tourism economy.
The app, by eliminating barriers around cash payments and local wallet registrations, makes it easier for tourists to focus on experiences, whether enjoying a Maasai Mara safari, buying crafts at a Nairobi market, or dining in Mombasa.
Craft Silicon has also confirmed plans to expand the TouristTap App beyond Kenya, bringing this payment model to other African countries in the coming months.
Jefferson Wachira is a writer at Africa Digest News, specializing in banking and finance trends, and their impact on African economies.
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