Tourists paying for a safari trip, a bead bracelet at a Maasai market, or a snack at a roadside kiosk may soon have one less headache: cash.
“This is a really significant step in the payments arena,” Kenya Revenue Authority chairman Nderitu Muriithi said.
“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.”
Craft Silicon, one of Kenya’s top fintech firms, has unveiled TouristTap, a mobile app that turns any NFC-enabled smartphone into a point-of-sale device. The app allows international visitors to pay directly with Visa or Mastercard, eliminating the need for ATMs, card machines, or foreign exchange.
A mobile device with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology built in, allows it to wirelessly exchange data with other NFC-equipped devices or NFC tags by bringing them close together.
“Very few small outlets in Kenya accept cards. With TouristTap, your phone becomes your own PDQ. Just tap, enter your PIN, and you are done,” said Kamal Budhabhatti, head of product dreams and designs at Craft Silicon, who also leads the firm’s sister brands Little and Blubeetle.
TouristTap works by linking a visitor’s card to their phone, enabling payments directly into mobile money wallets, till numbers, or bank accounts.
The app is certified by Visa and Mastercard and complies with PCI-DSS standards, using PIN-on-Glass encryption for security.
The launch comes amid a surge in Kenya’s digital payments. According to the Central Bank of Kenya, card transactions hit Sh538.5 billion in 2024, highlighting the country’s rapid shift to digital-first consumer behaviour.
Craft Silicon says TouristTap is designed to serve the entire tourism value chain, from luxury safari lodges to curio sellers. The app is already live in Kenya on Google Play and Apple App Store, with expansion planned across African tourism hotspots.
Budhabhatti noted that the company’s ambition stretches beyond Kenya.
“We wanted to make sure a visitor can pay for a Maasai bracelet as easily as they can pay for a luxury hotel. But the real goal is to scale this to other African markets facing the same challenges,” he said yesterday.
For Kenya, where tourism contributes more than 10 per cent of GDP, the stakes are high. Seamless payments could mean happier visitors, stronger revenues for local businesses and a more connected digital economy.
If TouristTap takes off, a trip to Kenya may soon be remembered for its wildlife and warm hospitality—without the hassle of cash.
