Kenya bats for Indian cricket fans with Sh25mn promotion deal

Rising Pune Supergiants captain Steven Smith (L) watched by Sunrisers Hyderabad cricketer Naman Ojha during the 2017 Indian Premier League Twenty20 cricket match on April 22, 2017. AFP PHOTO | INDRANIL MUKHERJEE 

By MATHIAS RINGA

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Summary

• KTB is banking on the ongoing Indian Premier Cricket league to popularise Kenya’s tourism products in the Asian country.
• The Indian Premier League is the most attended cricket league in the world and ranks sixth among all sport leagues.
• KTB expects to reach over 100 million cricket fans through online platforms jointly undertaken by tour operators including Thomas Cook and Odyssey Travel.

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has earmarked Sh25 million for marketing the country in India in a bid to raise international visitor numbers.

KTB has partnered up with an Indian cricket team - the Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) - to woo fans of the popular sport to come to Kenya for holiday.

The State-owned marketing agency is banking on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) to popularise Kenya’s tourism products in the Asian country.

The IPL is the most attended cricket league in the world and ranks sixth among all sporting leagues.

In a statement on Monday, KTB chief executive officer Betty Radier said the campaign was aimed at increasing awareness of Brand Kenya to cricket fans.

Ms Radier added that KTB expects to reach over 100 million fans through online platforms jointly undertaken by tour operators including Thomas Cook and Odyssey Travel.

“We also expect to engage with approximately five million consumers through social media engagements where Indian fans can win holiday trips to Kenya,” added the KTB boss.

Ms Radier noted that flag carrier Kenya Airways

, which operates flights between Nairobi and Mumbai, and other airlines have contributed to a rise in arrivals from the Indian market.

India is currently Kenya’s third largest tourist source market and KTB is riding on this to increase the number of visitors from the Asian giant.

Tourist arrivals from India to Kenya grew by 28.9 per cent to 64,116 up from 49,756 the previous year.