Kenya Airways, KTB in Sh20 million marketing deal

 

The Central Bank of Kenya. The country will auction 20-year Treasury bond worth up to Sh10 billion in May. FILE  Nation Media Group

By James Anyanzwa

Kenya Airways (KQ), and the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) have entered into a joint marketing programme to boost tourist arrival

In the one-year partnership, the national carrier will support the activities of KTB to the tune of Sh20 million. KTB will ensure KQ brand visibility at its tourism promotion forums as they seek to increase the number of tourists visiting Kenya.

Last year, the country recorded 1,780,768 tourists, a 0.3 per cent decline compared to 2011 that had 

1,785,382 visitors. This is attributed to many factors including insecurity and the Euro zone crisis.

The joint marketing effort targets various tourist markets in Africa (Nigeria, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, and Egypt) and Asia (Bangkok, Guangzhou, Delhi and Mumbai) as well as the domestic market.

 The effort will also be extended to cover Kenya Airways’ destinations in Europe, Middle East and the Americas. The two organisations will engage potential tourists through targeted events, festivals and regional road shows while also working with professional bodies and some of Kenya’s top brands to grow the demand for travel within the country.

In a statement yesterday, KTB Managing Director Muriithi Ndegwa said the partnership was timely, coming at a time when both the airline and Kenya’s tourism sector were experiencing reduced numbers.

Euro Zone Crisis

The reduction is as a result of   increased competition and various challenges such as the Euro Zone crisis and   terrorism. “The challenges that both our organisations face call for a major shift in the way we market ourselves in order for us to continue to attract business,” he said. “We must not only enhance our attractiveness as the preferred tourist destination in all of our traditional markets, but must also seek to collectively position Kenya as the tourists’ choice on the continent to every potential visitor.”

Muriithi noted that tourism remained one of the highest contributors to the Exchequer and would be instrumental to the Government’s efforts   to improve the economy and deliver essential social services. 

Kenya Airways hopes to maintain a dominant presence and growth in all existing routes through the partnership while marketing Kenya as a tourist and business destination of choice.  “This partnership fits in well with our strategy to expand into some of the   fastest growing travel markets in Africa, India, Middle East and the Far East. We need to diversify into the huge African market for our tourists,” said Titus Naikuni, KQ Group chief executive.

“We are seeking to give visibility and focus to our initiatives to market our country. We are delighted to join hands with KTB which will enable us to give added visibility to our business and the   country.”

Mr Naikuni said KTB and KQ target similar customers, adding that the partnership will complement the airline’s 10-year fleet and route network expansion plan.

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