Tourism Regulatory Authority revokes licenses of four tour operators in crackdown
The suspended operators have been ordered to cease operations immediately, and their licenses will remain revoked until they demonstrate full compliance with TRA regulations.
The Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) has suspended the licenses of four tour operators for failing to comply with regulatory standards, as part of a nationwide crackdown on unlicensed and non-compliant operators.
The crackdown follows a series of enforcement exercises that began at Sekenani in the Maasai Mara, aimed at safeguarding tourists and ensuring the country’s tourism sector adheres to professional and safety standards.
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The affected companies are Dosasha Tours & Safaris, Twinkle Star Tours & Safaris, Thinkscenes Services Ltd, and Kenmara Tour Operators.
The suspended operators have been ordered to cease operations immediately, and their licenses will remain revoked until they demonstrate full compliance with TRA regulations.
This comes amid concerns over rogue drivers, harassment of tourists, and vehicles operating without valid licenses, which authorities say pose a serious risk to visitor safety and threaten Kenya’s reputation as a top tourist destination.
“We will make sure that those licenses remain revoked until they prove otherwise, so that those other tour operators who are not complying realise that now it is not business as usual," a TRA official said.
Earlier, TRA officials said the nationwide exercise is part of wider efforts to bring order to the sector and protect tourists.
“This operation is going on countrywide. We are here in the Maasai Mara. We need to ensure that we all operate in line with regulations and the Tourism Regulatory Authority. We are ready to work with all of you to make sure that we list all licensed operators on our website for easy confirmation by international clients and Kenyans,” a TRA official said.
The authority is collaborating with counties, law enforcement agencies, and local communities to enforce the rules. Security agencies have also been deployed to support the crackdown.
“It is our mandate to ensure that tourists are safe. Today, we partner up with the county government and the Tourism Regulatory Authority to ensure that all the vehicles that are carrying our tourists are compliant,” a security officer said.
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