Choosing a travel agency in Nairobi should start with one question: is the agency licensed? Under Kenya’s Tourism Act, 2011, any person carrying out a tourism business or service specified in the Ninth Schedule must get a licence from the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA), and travel agencies are one of the businesses TRA licenses. This guide explains what a travel agency in Nairobi should do for you, how to check a licence in two minutes, the warning signs to look out for, and where to complain if something goes wrong.
What does a travel agency in Nairobi do?
A good travel agency books your flights, helps you prepare visa and travel documents, and arranges the extras around your trip, such as hotels, airport transfers and pilgrimage packages. It saves you time, and it should also protect you from mistakes that cost money, like booking a flight before your visa or eTA is approved.
At Sky Bridge Travel Agency in Eastleigh, the services people ask us for most are:
- Flight tickets: international and local flights from JKIA, including routes to Mogadishu, Jeddah, Istanbul, Guangzhou, Europe and the USA.
- Visa and travel documents: help with East African visas, the Kenya eTA for visitors, and visa extensions in Kenya.
- Hajj and Umrah: packages, visas and flights, arranged through Saudi Arabia’s official Nusuk platform. See our Umrah from Kenya guide.
- Transport and accommodation: JKIA pickups and drop-offs, and hotels for visitors to Nairobi.
Does a travel agency in Kenya need a licence?
Yes. TRA lists “Travel agency” as a Class C tourism enterprise, and the Tourism Act requires businesses in its Ninth Schedule to be licensed by TRA before they operate.
Operating without a licence carries real penalties. TRA’s licensing page notes that Section 112 of the Act imposes a fine of up to one hundred thousand shillings, imprisonment of up to eighteen months, or both for anyone who contravenes it. TRA also explains that licensing deters unscrupulous businesses and helps ensure customer satisfaction.
How do I check if a travel agency is licensed?
Use TRA’s official Verify a Licence tool, or search TRA’s list of entities licensed by TRA. Ask the agency for its business name and licence number first, then confirm the details match what TRA shows.
A genuine agency will give you this information without hesitation. If an agent avoids the question, changes the subject or only offers a phone number, treat that as a warning sign.
What should a licensed travel agency have?
To be licensed as a travel agency, TRA requires documents including a certificate of registration, a KRA PIN certificate, professional certificates of the person running the business, and a title deed or lease for the office. In other words, a licensed agency should be a registered business with a real office you can visit.
Visiting the office before you pay is one of the simplest checks you can make. You meet the people handling your booking, and you know where to find them if there is a problem later.
What checks should I make before I pay a travel agent?
Check the licence, visit the office, and get a written quote before you pay anything. The table below is a quick checklist you can use with any travel agency in Nairobi, including us.
| Check | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| TRA licence | Licence number confirmed on verify.tra.go.ke | Travel agencies must be licensed by TRA |
| Physical office | An address you can visit during working hours | You know where to go if something goes wrong |
| Written quote | The full price, including fees, in writing | Avoids surprise charges later |
| Official visa channels | eTA on etakenya.go.ke, Umrah through Nusuk | Applications must go through official platforms |
| Receipt | A receipt with the business name for every payment | Proof of what you paid and to whom |
| Booking reference | A ticket or booking reference you can check with the airline | Confirms your booking is real |
How can I avoid visa and ticket scams in Kenya?
Make sure visa and travel authorisations are applied for only on official government platforms. For visitors to Kenya, the government states that eTA applications must be completed only through the official website or the official mobile application, and an agency is allowed to apply on your behalf through that official portal.
For Umrah, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah states that all service providers on Nusuk Umrah are officially licensed and approved, and that official Saudi websites end with .sa. If someone promises a visa “outside the system” or asks you to pay into a personal number with no receipt, walk away.
Where can I complain about a travel agency in Kenya?
You can lodge a complaint with TRA through its official complaints portal. TRA officers also have powers to inspect tourism facilities and services where non-compliance is suspected.
Keep your receipts, written quotes and messages with the agent, because they make any complaint much easier to follow up.
Why choose Sky Bridge Travel Agency in Eastleigh?
We are a Nairobi travel agency with an office you can walk into at Al Mukkaram Shopping, Floor 5 Room 7, Eastleigh. We handle flights, visas, Hajj and Umrah, and airport transfers in one place, and we explain every step in plain language before you pay.
Chat with us on WhatsApp, call +254 720 830 177, or email info@skybridgetravelagency.com. You can also browse our services and the destinations we fly to.
About this guide: Last checked against official sources on 23 September 2026. Written by the Sky Bridge Travel Agency team in Eastleigh, Nairobi. Licensing information is taken from the Tourism Regulatory Authority. Visa channel information is taken from the official Kenya eTA portal and Nusuk Umrah.