Marketing Strategies Adopted By Kenya Tourist Board To Market Kenya As A Tourism Destination

Abstract

Tourism is one of the major contributors to the country’s GDP therefore an important pillar in the Kenya’s economy. This study is conducted to determine one objective; the marketing strategies applied by Kenya Tourist Board to promote Kenya as a tourist destination. The study investigates the specific marketing strategies used by the board and how they have been implemented. Determining marketing strategy is one of the most critical function of management. The research was conducted through case study method and a structured questionnaire was administered to six strategic and research managers at Kenya Tourist Board. Data was collected and analyzed through descriptive statistics such as arithmetic means and percentages to establish extent of implementation while frequency tables were used to summarize these statistics. The findings indicate the presence of marketing strategies but challenges arise on the extent of implementation. Intergration of the different marketing strategies is key for realization of the desired impact. There is inadequate consideration on branding strategy thus affecting the general position of the country and the use of various marketing tools. The current approach is mass market oriented thus it does not appeal to specific niche audiences or markets. This approach restricts the showcasing of the specific tourist forms that the country has to offer. Further concentration on traditional markets e.g UK and USA ignoring the recently developed vibrant potential markets e.g Asia and Middle east who have a growing interest in tourism