The Kenya Tourism Fund has upgraded its eLevy portal, making it easier for hotels, restaurants, Airbnbs, and other hospitality businesses to remit the mandatory 2 per cent Tourism Levy. The move aims to improve compliance across Kenya’s tourism sector.
The Fund, tasked with growing the country’s tourism industry, urged all registered businesses to log in, update their details, file returns, and make payments immediately.
“The eLevy portal has been upgraded. Kindly log in to update your details, file returns, and make payments,” the Fund stated on March 3.
The portal now features automated levy calculations, better record-keeping tools, and the convenience of paying from anywhere, reducing the need for physical visits to government offices.
The 2 per cent Tourism Levy applies to gross sales from accommodation and food services and covers all businesses regulated under the Hotels and Restaurants Act, including online booking platforms.
Payments must be made before the 10th of every month, with late submissions attracting a KSh 5,000 fine or 3 per cent of the outstanding levy, whichever is higher.
The upgrade seeks to eliminate delays and confusion in the remittance process while streamlining record-keeping. It comes as the government intensifies digital tax collection efforts, bringing informal and semi-formal tourism businesses into the compliance net.
The Kenya Kwanza administration, through the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), has introduced other tax measures, including a 5 per cent withholding tax on digital content creators from January 2026 and a 3 per cent Significant Economic Presence tax on non-resident platforms like Netflix, Amazon, Uber, and Airbnb.
Business owners without accounts are encouraged to register via the Tourism Fund Portal, with support available through 0728 337 499 or the Fund’s official email.
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