Netflix to promote local tourism, conservation

A Netflix documentary being screened at the Magical Kenya Travel Expo 2022 at the Bomas of Kenya.

Netflix, the world's leading streaming service, has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife to promote Kenya as a global travel destination.

The partnership will see the ministry collaborate with Netflix to showcase the best of Kenya's tourism offerings and conservation efforts.

Through the digital marketing campaign, Netflix, in conjunction with other government agencies including Kenya Tourism Board (KTB)and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) highlight Kenya's tourism opportunities and products.

KTB chief executive Dr Betty Radier said the Ministry was leveraging the global visibility of Netflix to reach potential travellers within the region and across the world.

"Currently, Netflix has 221 million paid subscribers worldwide, and a significant social media following. A huge number of people have access to their content and are interested in Netflix's activities. Our goal is to tap into Netflix's online presence to showcase Magical Kenya. Further, we want to collaborate on initiatives that showcase the best of Kenya's cultures and creativity. For instance, we are looking at key areas such as conservation efforts that drive tourism in Kenya and the various opportunities in tourism," said Dr Radier.

She added that Netflix's expertise in local content creation and production has been instrumental in raising awareness of the country to potential travellers around the world.

"Today, content is a key component in marketing and therefore having a partner with vast expertise in this field can improve the material produced," she said.

During the three-day Magical Kenya Travel Expo at the Bomas of Kenya, Netflix screened a short documentary highlighting the leading role that Kenya is playing in environmental conservation efforts and positioning Kenya as a destination of choice for visitors.

The documentary highlighted the Wildlife Works Kasigau Corridor REDD+ Project which is supported by Netflix and led by communities in Tsavo to protect the dryland forest, home to hundreds of endangered species.

The project aims to minimise human-wildlife conflict and provide local residents with alternative income streams.

Netflix's director of public policy, Shola Sanni, said Kenya is one of Africa's most beautiful destinations, with compelling cultures, diverse landscapes and natural beauty to rival any in the world.

"We are really pleased to showcase a promotional video reel showcasing Kenya as a destination of choice, and also screen a short documentary that shines a light on the important conservation work that the ministry is spearheading in collaboration with local environmental champions and other partners like Netflix. Our objective is to launch our joint efforts alongside the ministry and tourism agencies to promote Kenya as a tourism destination of choice," said Sanni.

KWS director general Brig (Rtd) John Waweru welcomed the partnership, saying that it will not only promote Kenya as a choice destination but also encourage investment in the tourism sector and increase awareness of wildlife conservation in Kenya.

"This partnership will further strengthen our efforts to promote Kenya globally as a leading travel destination. It will also help us raise awareness on conservation efforts undertaken to conserve our Wildlife and Environment," said Waweru.

The partnership comes at a time when Kenya continues to make significant contributions toward conservation. In 2021, for example, the government conducted the first-ever National Wildlife Census with the aim of understanding the animal species that need more attention in terms of conservation.