Members of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) based on the Coast gathered last week for a breakfast meeting in partnership with Kenya Airways, as the association urged its regional chapter to turn Kenya’s strong travel industry figures into tangible business gains ahead of 2027.
Kenya’s BSP gross sales for the period January to August 2026 reached USD 402.76 million, up USD 33.04 million, or 8.9 percent, from the same period last year. Every month recorded year-on-year growth. The national agent network also expanded over the period, KATA CEO Nicanor Sabula said at the meeting.
KATA’s Coast chapter has grown steadily since its founding, evolving from a small regional grouping of agents into one of the association’s most active branches. That growth mirrors the rising importance of Mombasa and the wider Coast region to Kenya’s travel economy, a shift increasingly visible in the scale of business now passing through the city.
In 2026 alone, Mombasa hosted more than 7,500 delegates at the 11th Our Ocean Conference, underlining its emergence as a serious destination for business and conference tourism. The Port of Mombasa also recorded significant cruise activity, including the inaugural call of Azamara Cruises’ Journey, which brought 690 passengers into the harbor.
Kenya Airways’ role as partner for the meeting reflected its position as the national carrier with the deepest network into the region. The airline connects business travelers to Mombasa’s conference calendar, carries cruise passengers onward to other parts of the country, and operates many of the domestic and regional routes that Coast-based agents depend on to build travel packages.
Speaking at the meeting, Patrick Kamanga, KATA’s Coast Region Liaison, described the chapter’s 2026 theme, “The Journey: Built to Last,” as reflecting that longer trajectory.
“Our focus is not simply on what we can achieve today, but on building an association that continues to create value, opportunities, and a strong voice for travel agents at the Coast for many years to come,” Kamanga said.
Sabula used his address to shift attention from current performance to future preparation, telling members to begin planning for 2027 immediately rather than waiting for the new year. He pointed to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 as a significant opportunity, encouraging agencies to package football travel alongside safari, coast stays and regional East African itineraries, itineraries that rely heavily on Kenya Airways’ domestic and regional network.
He also noted that the tournament falls almost entirely within Kenya’s official election campaign period, advising members to build flexibility into any products scheduled during that window. Sabula further urged agents to track corporate travel demand closely from the first quarter of 2027, citing a pattern in which past election cycles have softened business travel even without disruption.
The meeting reflected a broader trend within KATA, where regional chapters such as the Coast branch have taken on a greater role in shaping the association’s strategy, in step with the growing economic weight of the areas they represent. As Mombasa’s profile as a conference and cruise hub continues to rise, KATA Coast members say the region is positioned to capture a larger share of Kenya’s travel industry growth, provided the preparation Sabula outlined begins now.
