The National Assembly has invited members of the public to submit their views on the Tourism (Amendment) Bill, 2026, a proposed law seeking to streamline the management of the tourism sector by merging State agencies with overlapping functions.
The Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife said public participation will provide Kenyans with an opportunity to contribute to the proposed changes before the Bill progresses through Parliament.
The proposed legislation seeks to reorganise the institutional framework governing the tourism sector, with the aim of improving efficiency, accountability and service delivery while ensuring prudent use of public funds.
One of the key proposals in the Bill is the dissolution of the Tourism Research Institute (TRI) and the Tourism Finance Corporation (TFC), with their functions and assets transferred to the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB).
The proposed restructuring would give the Kenya Tourism Board an expanded mandate, including responsibility for tourism research, market intelligence, data and statistics, as well as industry learning platforms.
The committee said the changes are intended to address duplication of roles among State agencies and create a more coordinated approach to management and development of the tourism industry.
The Bill also proposes restructuring the Tourism Fund to broaden the areas in which the funds can be utilised.
Under the proposed changes, the Tourism Fund would support tourism product development, safety, innovation and crisis communication. It would also provide for county co-financing, potentially creating greater opportunities for counties to participate in tourism development.
The proposed law further contains transitional arrangements to guide the transfer of assets and ongoing legal matters arising from the restructuring.
It provides for the transfer of licences and staff and other administrative arrangements aimed at ensuring a smooth transition should the proposed changes become law.
“The Bill is currently before the Departmental Committee on Tourism and Wildlife and is at the public participation stage,” The National Assembly said in a notice.
Members of the public have been encouraged to read the Bill and prepare their views or memoranda for submission to the National Assembly.
The public participation exercise comes as the government seeks to strengthen the tourism sector, which remains an important contributor to Kenya’s economy through foreign exchange earnings, employment and support for businesses across the country.
The proposed institutional reforms are expected to reduce duplication and ensure that public resources allocated to tourism are used more effectively.
The committee stressed that public participation is both a constitutional obligation and an opportunity for Kenyans to influence legislation.
