Local firms launch bid to promote Kenya across eastern Africa

Tourists at Maasai Mara National game reserve in Narok county. [Kipsang Joseph,Standard]

Leading local firms have partnered in order to promote Kenya as a tourism destination within the East African region.

The Kenya Tourism Fund and the Presidential Delivery Unit are working with Isuzu East Africa, Safaricom, Equity Bank and Sarova Hotels in a campaign dubbed “Tembea Tujenge Afrika Mashariki” aimed at promoting regional tourism in the region battered by the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting travel restrictions.

The companies will start the East Africa tour in Kampala, Uganda on August 11 to 16, 2022.

From Uganda, the tour will proceed to DRC Congo, Rwanda, Tanzania and finally Zanzibar.

Tembea Tujenge Kenya Ambassador Maina Kageni said: “The new regional tourism campaign is aimed at sourcing for and marketing multi-country packages through local influencers in each country to showcase simulated experiences".

Maina said that due to the launch of a campaign to promote local tourism, domestic travel growth is expected to outpace global tourism.

Isuzu East Africa communications manager Duncan Muhindi said that the new initiative by local firms will boost the tourism sector in East Africa.

“We are ready to market Kenya to the rest of the EAC member states as a way of promoting our tourism sector which is now recovering after the Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected it.

"So far the Tembea Tujenge Kenya has covered 37 counties in two years and we want to visit all the counties by year-end,” Muhindi said in Nairobi during the unveiling of Trans Nzoia County tour.

Andrew Kanyutu, the Tembea Tujenge Kenya CEO said that domestic tourism has gained momentum through marketing campaigns aimed at attracting Kenyans to embrace it.

"The popularity of local national parks and attraction sites to the domestic market is on the rise," said Kanyutu.