Tourism Fund

What Tourism Fund does

Tourism Fund is a Kenyan government statutory body established under the Tourism Act Cap.381 Laws of Kenya and operational since 1 September 2012, serving as the legal successor to the Catering and Tourism Development Levy Trustees (1972–2012). The organisation functions as both a regulatory levy collector and a sector-development financier: it administers the mandatory 2% Tourism Levy on regulated hotels, restaurants, and tourism activities across Kenya (calculated on accommodation, food, and drink sales with specific formulas varying by VAT/service-charge treatment), and redistributes collected proceeds via grants and financing to Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya Utalii College, Ronald Ngala Utalii College, the Tourism Research Institute, and the Tourism Protection Service (Tourism Police Unit).

The core operating technology is the eLevy Portal (levy.tourismfund.co.ke), a government digital platform integrated with the national eCitizen portal and M-Pesa mobile money, supporting establishment registration, returns filing, self-assessment, levy calculation, and payment processing. Adjacent digital infrastructure includes the Tourism Training Revolving Fund (TTRF) loan portal operated via the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) and an upskilling enrollment platform. Levies are billed monthly with payment due by the 10th of the following month; non-compliance triggers statutory penalties of up to KES 100,000 and/or 18 months' imprisonment under the Tourism Act.

The revenue model is statutory rather than commercial: there is no take-rate negotiation, with the 2% levy acting as a transaction-based compulsory contribution from Class A enterprises (accommodation providers with minimum charge KES 250/person) and Class B enterprises (food service providers with minimum gross receipts of KES 250,000/month). Secondary revenue streams include loan repayments from TTRF beneficiaries and ancillary income from commercial letting of the Tourism Fund Building. The fund is owned by the Government of Kenya and governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Mr. Samson K. Some, with an acting CEO. Tourism Fund also runs PPP investment initiatives, tenders, auctions, internships, and youth innovation programs, but the levy-to-grant redistribution cycle remains its core economic function.

Name

Tourism Fund

Legal name

Tourism Fund

Website

https://tourismfund.co.ke

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Tourism Fund is a Kenyan government statutory body that collects a mandatory 2% tourism levy from regulated hotels and restaurants via the eLevy Portal and redistributes proceeds as grants to Kenya Tourism Board, hospitality colleges, the Tourism Research Institute, and Tourism Police.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism Development Fund Administration

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Convention and Visitors Bureaus (561591)

SIC

Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111)

akta.pro primary industry

Tourism Trade & Services Exports Development (BPADAMAO)

Keywords

• Tourism levy administration
• Statutory tourism fund
• Tourism sector financing
• Hospitality training loans
• Tourism development grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. 2% Tourism Levy Collection: Tourism Fund collects a mandatory 2% tourism levy from all regulated hotels, restaurants, and tourism activities across Kenya. The levy is calculated on accommodation, food, and drink sales (full & half board, bed & breakfast, or accommodation-only rates). Businesses declare VAT, service charge, and tourism levy, with specific formulas for different scenarios.
2. Grants and Financing: Tourism Fund provides financial support to various tourism sector entities including Kenya Tourism Board, Kenya Utalii College, Ronald Ngala Utalii College, Tourism Research Institute, and Tourism Protection Service. Funds are allocated for marketing, training, research, and security services.
3. Tourism Training Revolving Fund (TTRF): Provides loans for tourism-related education and upskilling programs. The fund supports students pursuing tourism studies at local, international institutions and online learning platforms. Sustainability is maintained through loan repayments by beneficiaries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tourism Fund is a Kenyan government statutory body that collects a mandatory 2% tourism levy from regulated hotels, restaurants, and tourism activities, and re-deploys those proceeds to finance tourism sector development. Its deliverables include the eLevy portal for levy registration and payment, grants to the Kenya Tourism Board, training colleges, the Tourism Research Institute and the Tourism Police Unit, an education loan program (Tourism Training Revolving Fund), and an industry upskilling program.

Product overview

Tourism Fund operates as a government parastatal established under the Tourism Act Cap.381 Laws of Kenya, functioning as a unified platform with multiple interconnected service modules. The core offerings include the eLevy Portal for 2% Tourism Levy collection from regulated establishments, and the Tourism Training Revolving Fund providing education loans. Supporting services encompass Grants & Financing (supporting Kenya Tourism Board, Tourism Protection Service, Kenya Utalii College, Ronald Ngala Utalii College, and Tourism Research Institute), the Upskilling Program for workforce development, and Public-Private Partnership investment opportunities. The fund also manages the Tourism Fund Building providing commercial office space, and facilitates tenders, auctions, and internship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2% Tourism Levy Portal (eLevy Platform)
• Tourism Training Revolving Fund (TTRF)
• Grants and Financing for Tourism Sector
• Tourism Fund Upskilling Program
• Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Investment Opportunities

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Upskilling Program PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Tourism Fund, through the Tourism Training Revolving Fund and other partners, launched an upskilling program that shifts from traditional learning to job-centric skills development with on-the-job learning, direct feedback, and coaching. Partners contribute expertise for industry-approved training.
• Private Sector Investors (PPP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Tourism Fund seeks to collaborate with private sector investors through public-private partnerships (PPPs) to promote and expand tourism infrastructure and services. Partnerships focus on shared risk and reward, innovation and expertise, sustainable growth, and economic boost for local communities.
• eCitizen PlatformsupportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Tourism Fund leverages the Kenyan government's eCitizen platform for tourism levy payment processing, enabling seamless integration with national digital infrastructure.
• M-Pesa (Safaricom)supportingTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Integration with M-Pesa mobile money service enables levy payers to make payments through the eLevy platform using mobile wallets, facilitating convenient and instant transactions.
• Kenya Tourism BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Tourism Fund provides financial support through grants to Kenya Tourism Board under Section 68 of the Tourism Act. The Board uses these funds to implement national marketing strategies and campaigns locally and internationally to promote Kenya as a prime tourist destination.
• Kenya Utalii CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Tourism Fund contributes towards Kenya Utalii College, a premier hospitality and tourism education institution in Africa. Funding helps maintain high education and training standards, ensuring skilled professionals for the tourism sector.
• Ronald Ngala Utalii CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Tourism Fund allocates significant resources to finance training and capacity development at Ronald Ngala Utalii College in Vipingo, Kilifi County. The college offers comprehensive hospitality training with facilities including practical training restaurant, fully-equipped kitchens, and cruise ship training areas.
• Tourism Research Institute (TRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Tourism Fund provides grants to Tourism Research Institute, enabling comprehensive tourism research and analysis. TRI serves as a key reference center for data and research insights vital for decision-making by government and private sector stakeholders.
• Tourism Protection Service (Tourism Police Unit)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Tourism Fund allocates financial resources to support the Tourism Police Unit responsible for ensuring safety within tourist areas. Funding covers operational costs including training, equipment, and personnel maintenance for tourist safety.
• Higher Education Loans Board (HELB)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2011Tourism Training Revolving Fund (TTRF), established under the 2011 Tourism Act, is managed through HELB's portal system. The partnership enables loan disbursement and recovery for tourism education financing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ethiopian Tourism Organization: National tourism organization for Ethiopia. Comparable as an African state tourism development body with marketing, regulatory, and sector capacity mandates.
• Namibia Tourism Board: State tourism promotion and development agency for Namibia. Comparable as a Southern African government parastatal focused on tourism marketing and sector capacity building.
• Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority: National tourism promotion authority for Mauritius. Comparable as an African government tourism body combining destination marketing, sector funding, and capacity development functions.
• South African Tourism: South Africa's national tourism promotion and marketing agency. Comparable as a state-mandated body responsible for tourism marketing, destination promotion, and sector development in another major African tourism market.
• Uganda Tourism Board: National tourism promotion agency for Uganda. Comparable as an East African government tourism body driving marketing, destination development, and sector capacity building.
• Tanzania Tourist Board: National tourism promotion agency for Tanzania. Comparable as a neighboring East African government body driving tourism marketing and destination development with similar mandate scope.
• Zimbabwe Tourism Authority: Statutory body responsible for tourism development and promotion in Zimbabwe. Comparable as a Sub-Saharan African state parastatal combining regulatory enforcement, destination marketing, and sector funding roles.
• Ghana Tourism Authority: Government regulatory and promotion body for tourism in Ghana. Comparable as a West African state tourism authority with regulatory, marketing, and sector development mandates.
• Rwanda Development Board (Tourism Division): Government agency responsible for tourism development and promotion in Rwanda. Comparable as an East African state tourism development authority combining regulatory, investment promotion, and destination marketing functions.
• Botswana Tourism Organisation: National tourism body for Botswana. Comparable as a Sub-Saharan African state tourism development agency with destination promotion and sector funding responsibilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tourism-fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tourism Fund