The government has surpassed its revenue targets for entry into national parks, reserves, sanctuaries and marine protected areas for three consecutive years, due to the digitisation of tourism payments and increased visitation, officials have disclosed.
Officials from the State Department for Wildlife told the National Treasury that revenue from wildlife conservation matched its target of Sh7.92 billion for the financial year ended June 30,2025.
The performance extended the upward trajectory after the collections hit Sh7.74 billion in 2023/24, surpassing the Sh7.53 billion goal and Sh5.37 billion the previous year, which was also above the Sh5.27 billion target.
The State department says the revenue growth has been underpinned by an increase in domestic and international visitors to national parks and other conservancies.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) recorded 3.38 million visitors in the year to June 2025, exceeding the planned 3.3 million.
The State department says the revenue growth has been underpinned by an increase in domestic and international visitors to national parks and other conservancies.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) recorded 3.38 million visitors in the year to June 2025, exceeding the planned 3.3 million.
Visitations the previous year reached 3.18 million, beating the 2.7 million target, while 2022/23 drew 2.4 million against the 2.1 million goal.
‘Target [for revenue] surpassed due to increased visitors in parks and digitisation of revenue collection (e-Citizen),’ the State Department for Wildlife said in its report to the National Treasury to inform allocation for the next financial year starting July 2026.
‘Target for park visitors surpassed due to enhanced marketing initiatives, rehabilitation of the guesthouses in parks, and tourism recovery measures in place.’
Digitisation of park payments has helped improve collections of park entry fees, officials say, after Kenya transitioned to e-ticketing for national parks and attractions, including Nairobi National Park.
That has eliminated cash transactions, with visitors required to pay in advance through platforms such as eCitizen, reducing queues at park entry points.
‘Through innovations such as TouristTap, which convert NFC-enabled smartphones into point-of-sale devices, foreigners can pay with Visa or MasterCard directly, or via mobile money, without the need for cash, foreign exchange, or traditional point-of-sale machines,’ Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano said in September.
The disclosures on above-target performance have come amid a policy battle between the State and stakeholders over a policy to increase park entry fees.
The KWS has sought to introduce a new fee structure for accessing national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, and marine protected areas under the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access and Conservation Fees) Regulations, 2025.
The new fees, announced at the end of September, are aimed at helping bridge a Sh12 billion annual budget deficit in the KWS books.
The High Court has, however, temporarily stopped their implementation after the Kenya Tourist Federation petitioned the move on grounds that the abrupt rollout would hurt Kenya’s competitiveness as a global safari destination.
Justice John Chigiti issued conservatory orders halting the changes in early October, noting that the matter required fair hearing and proper stakeholder engagement.
Tour operators complained that the new fees made it impossible to adjust pre-sold packages or consult stakeholders adequately.
Before the injunction, entry fees for adult Kenyans and East African residents visiting Amboseli or Lake Nakuru National Park had been raised by 74.4 percent to Sh1,500, while foreign visitors were to pay $90, up from $60.
Charges for students and children aged between five and 17 were to more than triple to Sh750.
The entry fees to Nairobi National Park would have jumped steeply by 132.5 percent for locals to Sh1,000, while foreign charges would have climbed 86 percent to $80.
The entry charges for Tsavo East and Tsavo West had been raised by 94.2 percent to Sh1,000 for citizens and 53.8 percent to $80 for foreigners.
KWS says Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Nairobi National Park, Tsavo East, and Tsavo West account for more than three-quarters (78 percent) of its park revenue.