Kenya Association of Travel Agents

Kenya Association of Travel Agents The Kenya Association of Travel Agents is the national umbrella body for Travel Agents in Kenya, with a growing membership of over 300 Travel Agencies.

It is Kenya’s largest and only membership organization for travel agents. KATA transitioned from a society to a company limited by guarantee in 2018, providing more space for growth and defending the travel trade. KATA is a member of the Universal Federation of Travel Agents’ Association (UFTAA), Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), Kenya Tourism Federation (KTF), and African Tourism Council. It also hosts the Secretariat of the Association of Eastern and Southern African Travel Agents (AESATA).

𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐛. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.But that was not the end of Mohamed Bafagih’s...
14/09/2026

𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐛. 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧.
But that was not the end of Mohamed Bafagih’s journey.
It was the beginning of the chapter that would turn a setback into a legacy.
50 years ago, the travel industry looked very different. There were no smartphones. No booking engines. No artificial intelligence.
Just two books, a telephone, and a good understanding of geography.
Today, the founder of Vogue Tours and Travel Ltd remains 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 and is still thinking about what will remain long after he steps aside.
And some lessons, as Mohamed says, cannot be found in any strategy book.
Read More : https://katakenya.org/industry-legend-celebrating-mohamed-bafagih-50-years-a-setback-a-comeback-and-a-travel-empire-built-from-nothing/

Your Next Business Opportunity Could Be in Turkey!For Kenyan travel businesses looking to expand beyond familiar markets...
08/09/2026

Your Next Business Opportunity Could Be in Turkey!

For Kenyan travel businesses looking to expand beyond familiar markets, Turkey presents an opportunity to connect with a wider international tourism network and unlock new business relationships.

Travel Turkey İzmir brings together tourism professionals, buyers, destinations, airlines, hotels, tour operators, and travel companies from across different markets—creating a valuable platform to network, discover new opportunities, build partnerships, and showcase your business to an international audience.

For Kenyan travel agents, this is an opportunity to take your brand beyond the local market, gain exposure to new partners and explore connections that could lead to new clients, new products and new revenue opportunities.

KATA is bringing Kenya to the global stage through a dedicated Kenya Pavilion at the 20th Travel Turkey İzmir International Tourism Trade Fair & Congress.

A few exhibition slots remain. First come, first served.



To book, Send an email to [email protected]

Following 26 years of connecting Africa’s travel trade through structured B2B meetings, product showcases and commercial...
08/09/2026

Following 26 years of connecting Africa’s travel trade through structured B2B meetings, product showcases and commercial conversations, Spotlight Travel Expo is bringing its platform to the Coast for the first time.

In preparation for Mombasa Spotlight 2026, KATA joined industry stakeholders in a discussion forum with Houston Marketing, the team behind Spotlight, to explore the opportunities and prepare for the inaugural Coast edition, happening on 26th November 2026 in Mombasa.

With Spotlight having hosted more than 150 editions across 15+ African cities, the Mombasa edition will create a new meeting ground for travel agents, tour operators, hotels, airlines, destinations and other travel suppliers to connect, build relationships and do business.

The conversation has started. Now, Mombasa takes the Spotlight.

2 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐎!If you wish to be considered for an award, submit your self-nomination by 10 September 2026.The process wil...
08/09/2026

2 𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐆𝐎!

If you wish to be considered for an award, submit your self-nomination by 10 September 2026.

The process will proceed to eligibility review, peer voting and final public voting, with the winners announced at the KeTIBA Gala Dinner on 27 November 2026.

Submit your self-nomination here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfkzr540VpA-pcv_6_cPiSi5GL3s_NTQvhLWEkHu_trqXCrzA/viewform

Don’t miss your chance to put your organisation forward for recognition!

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚’𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞.If you had told Charles Gikundi this story in 1970, he pr...
07/09/2026

𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐊𝐞𝐧𝐲𝐚’𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞.

If you had told Charles Gikundi this story in 1970, he probably would not have believed you.

He had simply come to Nairobi from the village looking for work. What he found was a job at East African Airways, a ticket desk, and an industry that would eventually become his life’s work.

The rest is a story of risk, resilience, reinvention, and knowing when to build beyond yourself.

When crisis hit his business, his response was simple: “𝐖𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐮𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧.”

They didn’t.

Today, 56 years into the journey, Charles is looking beyond what he built to what will remain. Because perhaps the greatest journey is not the one that takes you from where you started to where you are.

It is the one that leaves something behind for those who come next.

Read Charles Gikundi’s story: https://katakenya.org/industry-legend-celebrating-charles-gikundi-56-years-from-the-village-to-a-travel-veteran/

Travel Solutions Kenya

Early Bird is now open for the 3rd edition of the KeTIBA Gala Dinner! On 27 November 2026 at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts ...
05/09/2026

Early Bird is now open for the 3rd edition of the KeTIBA Gala Dinner!

On 27 November 2026 at Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts Nairobi, we’ll bring the travel industry together to celebrate excellence, recognize outstanding achievement, and elevate standards across the sector.

KeTIBA is a peer-to-peer platform celebrating the people and organizations driving excellence in travel: from travel agents and airlines to hotels, technology providers, financial service providers, and other industry partners.

Think your organization deserves to be recognized? Nominate your company for the relevant KeTIBA award categories and put your achievements in the spotlight.

Register for the Gala Dinner: https://lnkd.in/dU7-yfSn

Nominate Your Company: https://lnkd.in/drpdJV8v

Come dressed to impress. Leave inspired.

26 years of connecting the travel trade, creating opportunities and strengthening industry relationships. The Spotlight ...
04/09/2026

26 years of connecting the travel trade, creating opportunities and strengthening industry relationships.

The Spotlight Travel Expo, organized by our partners at Houston Travel Marketing Services, continues to bring the industry together. The latest Nairobi edition, held from 1–3 September, brought together travel professionals, DMCs, airlines, hotels and tourism partners from across the region, with KATA members traveling from the Coast, Kisumu and Eldoret to connect, explore opportunities and build relationships.

KATA continues to support platforms that create meaningful connections and opportunities for our members and the wider travel industry.

And now, Spotlight is heading to the Coast. For the first time, Mombasa will host the Spotlight Travel Expo on 26 November 2026.

We look forward to continuing this partnership and bringing the travel trade together on the Coast.

Regional connectivity is not just about moving people. It is about creating opportunities.We had the pleasure of attendi...
01/09/2026

Regional connectivity is not just about moving people. It is about creating opportunities.

We had the pleasure of attending the official launch of Fly Jambojet ’s Nairobi–Entebbe route, hosted in partnership with Travelport Services-Kenya Ltd , both proud KATA Corporate Members.

The new route is an important step in strengthening connectivity between Kenya and Uganda, opening up greater opportunities for business, tourism and visiting friends and relatives while making regional travel more accessible.

For the travel trade, the development also brings greater convenience. Jambojet is available through Travelport Smartpoint, allowing travel agents to search fares, price and book Jambojet flights directly through the platform.

The potential is significant. Kenya welcomed a record 2.4 million international visitors in 2024, with Uganda accounting for 9.4% of arrivals, making it Kenya’s second-largest source market after the United States. That represents approximately 226,000 Ugandan visitors to Kenya in a single year.

Improved air connectivity creates an opportunity to build on this strong relationship through targeted travel products, stronger engagement between travel agents in both markets and easier access for travellers.

KATA continues to support stronger partnerships, technology and connectivity that create opportunities for our members and the wider travel industry.

Congratulations to Jambojet and Travelport Kenya on this milestone. We look forward to seeing this new connection translate into more business, tourism and stronger regional ties between Kenya and Uganda.

Some names become familiar. Some become part of the story.Today, we celebrate Lalit Jobanputra - an industry veteran who...
31/08/2026

Some names become familiar. Some become part of the story.

Today, we celebrate Lalit Jobanputra - an industry veteran whose journey has been intertwined with Kenya’s travel trade for decades.

At 75, his story goes far beyond the milestones. It is a story of unexpected beginnings, changing times, resilience, relationships and knowing when to let go.

And perhaps one line captures his philosophy best:
“Relationships are more valuable than transactions.”

So, what happened along the way?

Read his story: https://katakenya.org/industry-legend-celebrating-lalit-jobanputra-75-years-decades-in-travel/ke Shilen Jobanputra.

Uganda has products that Kenya can sell. Kenya has products that Uganda can sell. Together, we can sell East Africa.”The...
27/08/2026

Uganda has products that Kenya can sell. Kenya has products that Uganda can sell. Together, we can sell East Africa.”

The 5th Uganda–Kenya Coast Tourism and Innovation Summit 2026 was officially unveiled during the Media Launch held on 25 August 2026 at Resort Munyonyo, Kampala, setting the stage for the main Summit scheduled for 26–27 October 2026 at Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort, Mombasa.

Representing KATA was KATA Coast Liaison Maina Kamanga, who highlighted opportunities for travel agents to strengthen the Uganda–Kenya tourism partnership by developing and selling complementary tourism products across both destinations.

He particularly called for greater promotion of Mombasa as a family destination for Ugandan travellers, beyond the traditional beach offering, while also highlighting opportunities around adventure, wildlife, history and heritage.

KATA continues to champion stronger B2B relationships, joint tourism packages, improved connectivity and seamless travel across East Africa, while positioning travel agents at the centre of turning destination opportunities into actual travel.

Address

The Address, 10th Floor, Muthangari Drive, Westlands
Nairobi
00100

Opening Hours

Monday 08:30 - 17:00
Tuesday 08:30 - 17:00
Wednesday 08:30 - 17:00
Thursday 08:30 - 17:00
Friday 08:30 - 17:00

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