KENYA: Kenya Attracting More Indian Tourists

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has launched a six-month long marketing and promotional campaigns in major cities of India in a bid to increase tourist arrivals from the market by 21% after the campaign period.

The media campaign dubbed Kenya Kalling will be running in print, radio and on-line media platforms in cities of New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Travel agents will be giving affordable travel packages and other incentives to the Indian travelers to visit Kenya during the campaign period in which KTB will spend over 20 million shillings.

The campaign launch is expected to position India as one of the fastest growing tourist source markets to Kenya. The country is now ranked the third best performing market after US and UK.

For arrival figures within the period under review, India has posted a 35% growth of 37,597 arrivals up from 27,944 recorded last year in the same period under review.

Strong cordial ties between Kenya and India are a boost to tourism campaigns.

While launching the campaign in New Delhi India, Kenya’s High Commissioner to India Florence Weche said the promotional campaigns will thrive will thrive with the long-standing cordial relationship between the two countries.

The visit by Indian Prime Minister Modi Narendra to Kenya last year, besides boosting cordial ties between the two countries has largely helped in enhancing top of mind awareness of Kenya among Indians .

This is also an endorsement and a show of confidence on the destination, said the ambassador.

KTB has invested over 20 million in campaign that will provide exciting travel deals including exclusive prizes and incentives to travelers in partnership with national carrier; Kenya Airways.

KTB regional Assistant Marketing Manager Hilda Ogada , makes a presentation during the launch of Kenya Kalling campaign in New Delhi India,

KTB acting Chief Executive Officer Jacinta Nzioka in her statement observed that India has recorded a remarkable grown as a tourist source market and has a potential to grow further.

We have a line-up of activities targeting consumers as well as trade in this market whose accessibility to Kenya has been enhanced by seamless connectivity by KQ and other airlines,she said.

She said that Kenya recently hosted Indian film makers from India to a promotional tour of diverse tourism products that Kenya has to offer presenting an opportunity for film makers to showcase the destination.

Safari, white sand beaches, water sports, Golf and other unique natural treasures as some of the key pulling attractions for new-age Indian travelers to Kenya.

India is an important market for Kenya and we have proposed to invest more on other initiatives that would boost brand awareness through sports such as Cricket, MICE, golf as well as association with celebrities and other consumer brands, said Nzioka.

Kenya’s High Commissioner to India Florence Weche says the system that has been on a gradually implementation has now taken off with positive reception by travel trade in the market.

Last year, the government introduced an e visa application method though extended manual visa system at the port of entries into the country until such a time e visa was fully operational.

But while launching the Kenya Kalling marketing campaign by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) in major Indian cities of Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore Weche termed the method as fast and trendy.

Manual application at port of entry still an option

We advise our clients to do on-line visa applications and we have not experienced any challenge even though some still opts for the manual application at the port of entries, said the Director of Chalo Africa Smita Srivastava who is selling tours to Kenya.

Krisia Holidays Destination marketer Ms Shagun Dhawan said her clients have warmed up to e visa system of application whose initial challenges associated to it have been addressed.

At the same time the travel trade hailed the introduction of single visa for East African countries, a move they said has boosted regional travel and created opportunities for their clients to explore the diversity of the East African region.

They spoke during KTB’s launch of a six-month long marketing and promotional campaigns in major cities of India in a bid to increase tourist arrivals from the market by 21% after the campaign period.

KQ gives attractive rates

National Carrier Kenya airways during the event announced an attractive, all inclusive airfare of INR 25,538 equivalent of about Kshs 38,963 for a return trip from Mumbai to Nairobi which can be booked on their website.

KQ has given attractive fare for travelers from Mumbai to Nairobi as part of campaign to woo Indian travelers

County Manager Lucie Malu said the rates will give impetus to the campaign which KTB has injected over Kshs 20 million to woo travelers to visit Kenya during the campaign period.

India is one of the fastest growing tourist source markets to Kenya and is ranked the third best performing market after US and UK with the current half year growth at 35% of 37,597 arrivals up from 27,944 recorded last year in the same period under review.

The government incentives of visa fee waiver for children below 16 years of age was poised to interest more Indian travelers to Kenya.

The Indian community has strong attachment to their families and the visa fee waiver incentive would fit in well into their travel plans to Kenya, said the High Commissioner.