A Survey of Effectiveness of Positioning Strategies of Kenya's Tourism Industry

Abstract

This study was conducted with the objective of finding out the current positioning strategies of Kenya tourism industry, and their effectiveness. The study also intended to find out the important factors in the repositioning of the tourism industry in Kenya. To achieve the above objectives, a sample of 70 respondents was picked. Out of the 70 picked, 30 were customers (tourists), 20 were local tourism stakeholders (travel agents/operators and hotels), and 20 were travel agents at the main tourist source markets. Three different questionnaires were therefore used. All the questionnaires administered to the three groups had unstructured, semi-structured . and likert scale questions. Convenience sampling was used in identifying the actual respondents in the various categories. The data collected was analyzed using mainly the percentages, means and standard deviations. Analysis of the data indicated that Kenya does not appear to have a clear positioning strategy in place for the tourism industry. As such, one can not talk of it being effective. Further, various factors were brought out as important in repositioning Kenya as a tourist destination. Such factors included communication which is market-oriented to the source markets, dealing with insecurity at the local level, promoting Kenya as a one-stop wide variety provider in the industry, promoting the destination as upmarket and offering value for the customer money, improving the conditions of roads and better management of the natural resources (parks and animals) and the environment