KWS unveils KWSPay platform to cut park entry time to three minutes
The system is a shift in how payments, ticketing, and park access are handled. Visitors can now pay using mobile phones with fewer steps and without requiring multiple logins. Even users without smartphones are able to use the service.
A visit to Kenya’s game parks is now easier and faster following the rollout of a digital payment platform by the Kenya Wildlife Service, designed to shorten park access time and simplify revenue collection across the country.
The platform, named KWSPay, has been developed in partnership with the state’s e-Citizen platform, but operates independently to cater specifically to KWS services.
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It offers a quicker and more user-friendly experience for both local and international tourists, slashing the time it takes to buy park tickets from around 10 minutes to just two or three.
“When you walk into Nairobi National Park right now, you realise that you don't need to log in to the eCitizen platform... we have developed the payment system, reducing the time required to log in from 10 to 12 minutes to a period of about two to three minutes. You can be able to also pay for your ticket from the comfort of your home,” said KWS director general Erastus Kanga.
The system is a shift in how payments, ticketing, and park access are handled. Visitors can now pay using mobile phones with fewer steps and without requiring multiple logins. Even users without smartphones are able to use the service.
KWSPay accommodates both individual and group payments, a feature KWS says will benefit tour operators by allowing them to book visits to different parks in one transaction. The platform includes an e-Wallet option for regular visitors to manage payments more easily.
“As a tour operator, you can be able to pay for your minivan, for back visitors who are coming in. Within one payment, you can plan for the visitors who are going to Nairobi National Park, Amboseli National Park, and Sabo National Park at the same time, and you get different tickets that are able to facilitate you,” Kanga noted.
According to Kanga, the introduction of digital platforms has helped the agency boost its revenue.
He noted that once KWS integrated with the e-Citizen system, revenues jumped from Sh3.4 billion to Sh5.6 billion, and in the last financial year, the figure rose further to Sh7.6 billion.
Apart from the payment upgrade, KWS is also carrying out infrastructure improvements in several game parks, including Nairobi National Park, to improve the condition of internal road networks.
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