The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has been nominated for Best Association at the 2026 Mombasa Business Awards organised by the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), recognising the association’s growing engagement in the Coast region’s business and tourism sector.
The nomination comes amid increased activity by KATA’s Coast chapter in destination promotion, industry representation, stakeholder engagement and efforts to strengthen the business environment for travel agents in Mombasa.
The awards have opened public voting, with KATA calling on its members, industry partners and the wider travel fraternity to support its nomination.
KATA Chairman Dr Joseph Kithitu congratulated the Coast team, crediting its work for raising the association’s profile in the region.
“Well done, KATA Coast team. You have raised the KATA banner there. You have been outstanding this year! We will support you to bring this home,” Kithitu said.
The nomination follows a period of increased engagement by KATA Coast with Mombasa’s tourism and business stakeholders. The chapter, led regionally by KATA Board Director Patrick Maina Kamanga, has been involved in discussions around tourism development, destination competitiveness and opportunities for travel businesses.
In January 2026, KATA played a leading role in a Mombasa Tourism Council quarterly roundtable hosted by Governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir. The association pushed for greater tourism product diversification and improvements to the visitor experience, including efforts to reposition Mombasa’s Central Business District as a stronger tourism destination.
The discussions highlighted the importance of expanding tourism beyond traditional beach and resort experiences to include city tours, cultural attractions and other products that travel agents can package for visitors.
KATA’s engagement has also extended to direct destination promotion. During the 2026 UN World Tourism Week celebrations in September, Coast members participated in a beach and city conservation campaign, tourism stakeholder engagements, the World Tourism Day carnival and a visitor welcome exercise at Moi International Airport.
The airport initiative brought together KATA members, county representatives and airline partners to welcome passengers arriving in Mombasa, including those travelling on Kenya Airways, Jambojet and Ethiopian Airlines.
The chapter has also pursued stronger commercial relationships with travel suppliers and financial institutions. The wider business environment makes such engagement increasingly important. Mombasa has continued to develop its profile as a destination for international conferences and cruise tourism. The city hosted more than 7,500 delegates during the 11th Our Ocean Conference in 2026, while the Port of Mombasa received the inaugural call of Azamara Cruises’ Journey, carrying 690 passengers.
The Mombasa Business Awards describe their programme as a platform for recognising entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation and business contribution. According to the organisers, the awards have been running since 2013 and seek to encourage stronger and more innovative business communities.
The 2026 programme covers businesses and organisations across several sectors, with categories including Best Hotel, Best Travel Agency, Best Shipping Company, Best Association and Best Blue Economy Business.
The Best Association category recognises business associations, chambers and cooperative groups for representing and empowering members and contributing to the growth of Mombasa’s business community.
For KATA, the nomination places the travel trade among the wider organisations being recognised in the region’s business community.
Voting is conducted through the awards’ online portal, where participants provide their email address and telephone number. The organisers state that each person’s vote is recorded immediately and counts once per category.
KATA has encouraged members and industry supporters to participate in the voting process as the association seeks recognition for the work of its Coast team.
Voting link: https://mombasabusinessawards.kenyachamber.co.ke/vote