Nairobi, July 2 -- Across East Africa, tourism has officially entered a high-growth era. Yet an analogue gap in digital payments and operational infrastructure threatens to prevent businesses from fully capitalising on the boom.

The region has moved well beyond the pandemic slowdown and is now outperforming many global tourism markets. In 2025, East Africa emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing tourism regions.

Kenya alone welcomed 2.7 million international visitors, according to the Ministry of Tourism, a 12.97 percent increase from the 2.39 million recorded in 2024. The surge generated nearly Sh500 billion in tourism earnings.

The momentum extended across the region. Tanzania's tourism revenue rose to an estimated $4.4 billion...