By Mandere Onyinkwa
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) presented a revised draft of the Wildlife Conservation and Management (Access and Conservation Fees) Regulations, 2025 to stakeholders on Thursday.
This was done during a validation workshop held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
The new draft comes after public participation forums conducted between July 29 and August 8, 2025 across 20 counties, where stakeholders raised concerns ranging from product diversification to infrastructure and support for tourism professionals.
Speaking at the forum, KWS Director General Prof. Erustus Kanga underscored the agency’s commitment to inclusivity in the review process.
“We are determined to ensure that these regulations are developed, adopted, and implemented through an inclusive process,” he said.
“The views we received have informed key changes designed to improve visitor experience and expand the wildlife economy.”
Among the notable revisions are free entry for safari enablers such as tour guides, boat crew, and porters who are licensed and registered under recognized associations.
Children under five, senior citizens aged 70 and above, and persons with disabilities have been exempted.
Rates for marine parks, with a uniform charge and lower non-resident fees have been slashed to USD 25 from the earlier USD 40.
A category for “Rest of Africa” has been introduced offering reduced charges for visitors from African nations outside the East African Community.
There is also proposed expanded experiences, including walking safaris, night game drives, balloon safaris, horse riding, dhow excursions, and helicopter tours.
Prof. Kanga stressed that the regulations were not merely about fees, but about sustainability:
“The revenue generated will be directly reinvested to enhance visitor experiences in our parks and reserves. These regulations are about the value of conservation in our national development.”
Following the validation forum, the draft will be submitted to the Parliamentary Committee on Delegated Legislation for approval.
If adopted, this will mark the first major review of conservation fees in 18 years, aimed at closing a KES 12 billion annual funding gap that hampers KWS’s capacity to protect wildlife, restore ecosystems, and meet growing visitor expectations.