Kenya Tourism launches strategic campaign to woo Indian travellers, to expand product knowledge through training programs, ET TravelWorld

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has initiated a new strategic marketing campaign aimed at incentivising travel agents to promote Kenya as the preferred destination for Indian travellers.

The consumer-focused campaign, designed to boost awareness and drive conversions in the Indian market, will engage both trade partners and consumers simultaneously. In collaboration with a multi-platform destination infotainment platform, the campaign is aimed at leveraging the network’s extensive reach to target a diverse audience.

Talking more about the campaign, John Chirchir, Acting CEO, Kenya Tourism Board, said the Indian market is very significant to Kenya’s tourism sector. “India stands as a pivotal market for Kenya in the realm of travel and tourism. We believe that this initiative will significantly contribute to strengthening our foothold in this dynamic landscape. With high expectations riding on this campaign, we aim to forge a robust bond with the travel trade and cultivate lasting relationships. We are confident that through this concerted effort, we will not only meet but exceed expectations, propelling Kenya to the forefront of travelers’ minds in India.”

Neeti Sharma, Director, Intrepid Marketing and Communications, expressed excitement about the launch of the campaign in the Indian market to showcase Kenya’s attractions to potential Indian visitors. “By engaging both trade partners and consumers, we aim to create a powerful synergy that will drive demand and position Kenya as the ultimate travel destination in Africa. We are confident that this campaign will not only drive conversions but also strengthen the bond between the travel trade in India and Kenya.”

The campaign aims to instill aspiration among Indian travellers and establish a loyal customer base with travel agencies based on the total number of passengers booked within the specified timeline. Scheduled to run for four months, from February to June 2024, the campaign seeks to capitalise on the growing interest in travel to Kenya among Indian tourists.

Promoting new products & experiences
Kenya is also promoting new products and experiences, such as beach weddings, to attract more tourists to its destinations. Speaking about the impact of increased connectivity on the industry, Betty Ingwe, Senior Marketing Officer – Emerging Markets, Kenya Tourism Board highlighted the potential for promoting lesser-known regions like Mount Kenya and Western Kenya. “India is one of our primary market and we are really focused on promoting Kenya here. We have been seeing increased tourist arrivals from this market, and we hope to grow it further with new initiatives that we are going to put in place. We are focusing on two important initiatives for travel trade this year. What we are looking at for this market is expand product knowledge. Kenya is much more than just wildlife,” she said in an exclusive conversation with ETTravelWorld in Mumbai.

Marketing strategies
Talking about using digital marketing to promote country’s tourism, Ingwe said that the Kenya Tourism Board will operate a joint campaign with an airline apart from executing a travel trade incentive campaign to promote Kenya in India.

She said that Kenya Tourism aims to expand product knowledge in Indian market through training for sales team. “We are trying to move away from the Masai Mara and Nakuru region which are tradtionally popular in the Indian market. We are working to promote lesser-known destinations in the Mount Kenya and Western Kenya regions, which are not explored much by Indians,” she mentioned.