Key players in Kenya’s travel and payments ecosystem gathered at the PrideInn Azure Hotel for the Kenya Travel Industry Payment Summit (KTRIPS 2026)on March 25, 2026, organized by the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA). The summit brought together industry leaders, regulators, airlines, payment providers, and technology firms to confront the growing challenge of fraud and risk management in the travel sector’s rapidly evolving digital payment environment.
Industry Leaders Warn of Rising Fraud Risks
In his opening remarks, KATA Chairman Joseph Kithitu cautioned that while travel payments have become faster and more intelligent, fraud risks have evolved even more rapidly.
He explained that the nature of travel transactions, high-value bookings, cross-border payments, and rapid settlement, makes the sector particularly attractive to fraudsters.
“Fraud today goes far beyond stolen credit cards,” Dr. Kithitu said. “We are now dealing with account takeovers, fake booking platforms, and even loyalty point theft.”
He stressed that while payments move money, trust moves industries, urging travel agencies to invest in stronger risk management systems and networked defenses to safeguard confidence in the sector.
Dr. Kithitu also emphasized the importance of protecting digital access points.
“If you are locking your cheque books, you are locking the wrong things,” he said. “The people with your logins can wipe you clean in seconds. Lock your logins.”
KATA Leadership Highlights the Importance of Payment Security
In his welcoming address, Nicanor Sabula, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents, underscored the importance of dedicating a full industry forum to the subject of payments.
Sabula noted that payments sit at the core of every travel transaction and that the industry must remain vigilant as fraudsters increasingly target travel businesses.
He emphasized that while the travel sector continues to grow, its digital transformation has also made it more vulnerable to financial crime, making collaboration between policymakers and industry players essential.
Earlier, KATA Vice Chairman Hamisi Hassan welcomed delegates and urged travel professionals to adopt a forward-looking mindset when addressing emerging risks in the sector.
He highlighted geopolitical uncertainties, including tensions in the Middle East, and rising operational costs that could impact the travel industry in the coming months. Hassan called on agencies to strengthen risk-proofing measures by investing in staff training, improving payment security, and remaining vigilant against phishing attacks, API integration vulnerabilities, and risks arising from third-party access.
While acknowledging the growing role of artificial intelligence in improving efficiency, he cautioned that fraudsters are also leveraging the same technologies to launch more sophisticated attacks.
Cybersecurity Experts Outline Compliance Risks
A key session at the summit was delivered by Salil K, Senior Sales Manager – Africa at SISA Information Security.
Drawing on more than two decades of experience in digital security across Africa, EMEA and South Asia, Salil addressed the growing risks surrounding payment card security and the need for travel agencies to strengthen compliance frameworks.
His presentation focused on the implications of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) v4.0, highlighting compliance gaps that could expose travel businesses to fraud and regulatory penalties.
Salil outlined emerging threats targeting cardholder data and shared a practical 90-day action plan designed to help agencies strengthen customer data protection, reduce fraud exposure and move toward full regulatory compliance.
He noted that as travel businesses increasingly rely on digital payment channels, safeguarding customer data must become a strategic priority rather than just a technical requirement.
Technology and Payment Experts Offer Solutions
During a panel discussion featuring Peter Wachira, Tejpal Bedi, Basil Kithinji and Sabula, speakers explored how travel businesses can better protect transactions in an increasingly digital ecosystem.
Wachira, CEO of travel technology company Triply, outlined some of the most common fraud risks facing travel agencies today. These include reverse ticketing, friendly chargebacks, internal collusion, and challenges in proving service delivery.
He also warned about emerging fraud patterns such as card-not-present transactions, phishing, impersonation, fake business documentation, and refund abuse.
According to Wachira, the solution is not necessarily to add more security layers that slow operations, but to embed fraud prevention directly into every stage of the business process, from onboarding and identity verification to real-time monitoring of transactions.
“Transparency and accountability within workflows significantly reduce the risk of fraud and chargebacks,” he noted.
Airlines and Travel Technology Firms Stress Vigilance
Representing the airline sector, Hussein Mohamed from Kenya Airways explained how airlines are using decision-management tools to assess risk and determine whether suspicious transactions should be approved or rejected.
He urged travel agents to conduct proper checks on credit cards, payment links, and customer interactions before issuing tickets.
“Security is not a feature—it is an investment the industry must be willing to make,” he said.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Kyalo from Travelport highlighted that travel security must extend beyond Global Distribution Systems (GDS).
He encouraged agencies to implement multi-factor authentication, secure company domains rather than free email services, and ensure employees receive continuous cybersecurity training.
Payment Networks and Industry Bodies Raise Alarm
Representing global payment network Visa, Basil Kithinji warned that fraudsters are increasingly deploying bots to generate and test payment card details through merchant systems.
“As technology evolves, fraudsters evolve with it,” he said. “The industry must stay informed and proactive.”
Tejpal Bedi of Peach Payments added that innovations such as cross-border payments have transformed the travel industry but also opened new avenues for fraud.
“Artificial intelligence is learning, fraudsters are learning, and we are learning,” he said. “The good guys must win.”
Cybersecurity and Regulatory Perspective
The summit’s chief guest, Dennis Loyatum from the Communications Authority of Kenya, highlighted Kenya’s accelerating digital transformation and the growing cyber threats facing businesses.
He pointed to ransomware attacks, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks and social engineering scams as some of the key risks organizations must prepare for.
Loyatum urged companies to invest in cybersecurity awareness, data protection and resilient systems to maintain trust in the digital economy.
Protecting Billions in Travel Revenue
Agnes Mucuha from the International Air Transport Association emphasized the scale of financial flows within the travel industry.
She revealed that Kenya’s 2025 Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) sales reached $567 million (approximately Sh74 billion), highlighting the need to protect travel funds through layered security systems and a zero-trust approach.
Mucuha encouraged agents to adopt secure-by-design platforms, comply with data protection standards, and continuously upgrade their cybersecurity capabilities.
Government Reaffirms Support for Industry
Also speaking at the summit was John Ololtuaa from the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya, who reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the travel sector through strong public-private partnerships.
He said collaboration between government and industry players will be essential in strengthening Kenya’s tourism ecosystem and ensuring sustainable sector growth.
A Call for Collective Vigilance
Throughout the summit, participants emphasized that protecting the travel payment ecosystem requires collaboration, innovation, and constant vigilance.
As the industry continues to digitize, speakers agreed that secure payments, informed staff, and stronger verification systems will be critical to sustaining trust and growth in the travel sector.
KTRIPS 2026 ultimately reinforced a clear message: while digital payments are shaping the future of travel commerce, security and trust must remain at the heart of every transaction.
