A key truth often misunderstood outside Kenya:
Local tour operators are not protesting park fee increases for themselves. Most Kenyans don’t feel the immediate financial impact of non-resident fees. We already benefit from discounted resident rates and annual free park access days, so accessibility for citizens has not been threatened.
What’s this about then?
This isn’t about protecting our wallets. It’s about protecting the traveller especially foreigners who may not realise how fast these fees have changed or how drastically costs have risen.
When a traveller receives a safari quote, they simply see a total figure. They don’t know which portion is park fees versus accommodation versus transport. They trust us to build a fair package. And because they don’t see the structure behind the pricing, they may not fully understand how much of their safari cost is now tied to park levies.
As Kenyans in this industry, we could easily stay silent, quietly adjust package costs, add the new fees, and move on. Travellers wouldn’t know. Many operators could even pocket the difference under the guise of “market increases.”
But that’s not integrity.
We are speaking up precisely because travellers trust us, and trust demands transparency. A safari should feel like an investment in conservation and culture not an inflated invoice. The concern isn’t the concept of paying for conservation. We believe in protecting nature. We believe parks deserve funding. We believe in fairness. The concern is value alignment. If travellers are paying exponentially more, they expect those funds to directly enhance wildlife protection, park infrastructure, ranger welfare, and guest experience. The industry wants to ensure these funds actually strengthen conservation not disappear into administrative inefficiencies or unrelated budgets
This is patriotism, not protest.
We are proud of Kenya. We want to defend our destination’s reputation, not tarnish it. But silence in the face of imbalance leads to mistrust, and trust is the foundation of global tourism confidence.
Kenya’s parks are priceless but pricing must remain principled.
We stand with travellers because we want them to feel respected, not exploited. We speak because fairness is part of Kenyan hospitality culture. We advocate because transparency protects our tourism brand long-term.
Safaris should feel like magic, not maths. And our duty as Kenyans, as operators, and as custodians of experience is to make sure the value matches the vision.
Discover more from Kenya on a Budget Safaris
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
