New app to end tourists' payment headache

Credit card payment. [Courtesy]

Paying for a safari trip, buying souvenirs at a Maasai market, or grabbing a snack from a roadside food stall has long been a headache for many tourists in Kenya.

Most end up carrying wads of cash after struggling to find ATMs or discovering that their Visa or Mastercard credit cards don't work at smaller outlets.

Craft Silicon, one of Kenya's leading fintech firms, believes it has the answer. The company has launched TouristTap, a mobile app that turns any NFC-enabled smartphone into a secure point-of-sale device.

The app allows international visitors to pay directly with their Visa or Mastercard-no cash, no card machine, and no need for foreign exchange.

"Most visitors, and even some of my own friends, struggle to pay when they visit Kenya. Very few shops accept cards, especially at roadside stalls or Maasai markets. With TouristTap, your phone becomes your own PDQ. Just tap, enter your PIN, and you're done," said Head of Product Dreams and Designs, Craft Silicon, Little and Blubeetle Kamal Budhabhatti.

TouristTap uses Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, the same system that powers tap-to-pay cards.

Visitors download the app, link it to their card, and use their phone like a mobile card reader. The app supports payments to mobile money wallets, till numbers, bank accounts, and other apps, bridging the gap between tourists and local service providers.

"Security is a central feature to us, the app is certified by Visa and Mastercard, compliant with global standards such as PCI-DSS, and uses PIN-on-Glass technology to ensure transactions are encrypted and safe," he says.

The launch comes at a time when Kenya is seeing a sharp rise in digital transactions.

According to the Central Bank of Kenya, card payments hit Sh 538.5 billion in 2024, reflecting a growing preference for digital-first consumer behaviour.

For a tourism sector that contributed over 10 per cent of GDP before the pandemic, a seamless payment experience could boost both visitor satisfaction and revenue for local businesses.

"This is a really significant step in the payments arena," said Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Chairman Nderitu Muriithi.

"A tourist coming to Kenya can now buy goods at a kiosk, a Maasai market, or a roadside shop with the same confidence as at a five-star hotel. This innovation integrates seamlessly with our broader mobile money ecosystem and brings global payment networks into Kenya's everyday economy."

Budhabhatti said the app is not just for luxury hotels or tour operators but for the entire tourism value chain-from high-end lodges to small curio sellers.

"We wanted to make sure a visitor can buy a bead bracelet at a Maasai market as easily as they can pay for a five-star hotel stay," he said.

TouristTap is already live in Kenya and available on Google Play and the Apple App Store for NFC-enabled phones. Expansion to other African tourism hotspots is planned, with Craft Silicon positioning the app as a continent-wide solution to one of the most common frustrations faced by travellers.

If TouristTap takes off as planned, a trip to Kenya may soon be remembered for its wildlife, culture, and warm hospitality, not the hassle of payments.