Lead image for Two tourism agencies set to be collapsed into one in new Bill.
Functions of two tourism agencies are set to be collapsed into one as Kenya moves to streamline the management and marketing of the sector to attract more visitors, if a new Bill before the National Assembly is passed into law.
The Tourism (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the Tourism Act to enhance efficiency, accountability and service delivery in the tourism sector.
Sponsored by Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, the Bill proposes to abolish the Tourism Research Institute and the Tourism Finance Corporation and transfer their functions to the Kenya Tourism Board.
If passed into law, the Kenya Tourism Board would become responsible not only for marketing Kenya as a top tourism destination but also for conducting research and market intelligence to inform product development and marketing.
The Board would also collect and analyse information on tourism products and services, market needs and trends, sustainable tourism and other related areas.
The proposed abolition of the Tourism Research Institute and Tourism Finance Corporation is in line with the Government’s policy of reducing public expenditure by merging State corporations with overlapping or related mandates. The aim is to improve operational efficiency and eliminate duplication.
“The principal object of this Bill is to amend the Tourism Act, Cap 381, for purposes of streamlining the management of tourism to enhance efficiency, accountability and service delivery in the tourism sector,” the Bill states.