About

About TCI

Understanding the Tourism Credential Identifier and its mission to transform Africa's tourism sector

Overview

What is TCI?

The Tourism Credential Identifier (TCI) is a unique, digital identifier assigned to every individual or organization affiliated with the tourism sector in Kenya and Africa. This includes students, tour operators, tourism companies, hotels, institutions, conservancies, and even tourists.

The idea is to create a centralized registry of all tourism stakeholders for security, professionalization, and opportunity tracking within the sector — similar to how Kenya Medical Practitioners must be registered with the MPDC.

TCI is an initiative of the Sway Afrika Foundation, endorsed and promoted by the Ministry of Tourism, aligned with Kenya's Vision 2030.

2025

Year Established

Credential Format

The TCI Number

A standardized, scalable format that identifies every stakeholder in tourism

TCI-[ROLE]-[COUNTRY]-[YEAR]-[UNIQUE ID]

TCI-ST-KEN-2025-00456→Student in Kenya, registered in 2025

TCI-TO-UGA-2024-00121→Tour Operator from Uganda

TCI-TR-USA-2025-87231→Tourist from the USA

TCI-GOV-KEN-2025-00001→Ministry of Tourism, Kenya

TCI-CON-KEN-2025-00009→Conservancy in Maasai Mara

Stakeholders

Who TCI Serves

A unified ecosystem for every stakeholder in the tourism value chain

Students

TCI-ST

Tourism students in colleges and universities gain access to internships, placements, and exchange programs.

Tour Operators

TCI-TO

Tour companies and operators receive verified credentials and access to the TCI compliance network.

Hotels & Lodges

TCI-HT

Accommodation providers join the verified ecosystem for transparency and guest confidence.

Conservancies

TCI-CON

Wildlife conservancies integrate with TCI for animal tracking, anti-poaching, and entry management.

Institutions

TCI-IN

Tourism colleges, universities, and training bodies register for standardized curriculum delivery.

Tourists

TCI-TR

International and domestic tourists receive temporary TCI numbers for traceability and safety.

Collaborations

Strategic Partnerships

TCI works alongside existing institutions to strengthen the tourism ecosystem

Ministry of Tourism

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)

Ministry of Interior

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB)