The once robust Kenyan tourism sector has been struggling to gradually recover from the aftershocks in the economy and the adverse impacts of the global covid pandemic. Industry experts predicted that recovery would only be possible from the year 2024 with an improvement being seen as a return to normally to what used to be pre-covid as opposed to an improvement of getting further ahead than the golden years of Kenya’s tourism.
Deliberations from a recent tourism conference held together in Kikambala, North coast that brought together industry experts came to a conclusion that new ways of approaching the task of reviving the sector ae required among them spurring local/domestic tourism by marketing various tourism destinations in Kenya such as the vast and spread out Kenyan national parks including those in Nakuru, Nairobi, Mombasa among others. Traditionally, the marketing efforts have been geared towards sourcing for international tourists that earn the country foreign exchange and the domestic markets have been overlooked.
Another critical element of the strategies was diversifying the offerings and creating more in terms of what is offered in the tour packages. With Maasai mara being one of the Kenya attractions and the beautiful coastal beaches of Mombasa, there is now an emphases that other facets are also included such marketing the cultures as well as including agriculture and other elements of the lifestyle of Kenyans in the package such as farm visits including tea farms and marine focused tourism among others.
Having a number of goodwill ambassadors who are perhaps world renown icons or world renown brands such as Naomi Campbell who was appointed as an ambassador is also a great way of bring more attention to our beautiful nation Kenya. A country such as Rwanda went an extra mile to forge a contract with the popular European football club Arsenal in a million dollar contract where the team would be used to market the Rwanda with branding on the teams jersey inscribed “Visit Rwanda”
It is also very imperative, that more innovative marketing and branding strategies are adopted by organizations such as Brand Kenya, magical Kenya tourism sector marketers who are mandated with marketing the nation locally and internationally. The use of sports to market Kenya such as Rugby and Athletics has been proven to bring in the much needed awareness on Kenyan tourism but much more needs to be done including adjusting to sustainability needs in the tourism sector to enable Kenya become a pioneer in sustainable tourism in the continent which is much conscious of the environmental sustainability needs for future posterity.
About The Author
