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KENYA AT THE ITB
(Date Published: 10 Mar 2010)
Representatives of 46 Tourism Enterprises are in Germany to participate in the International Tourisme Bourse that kicks off Wednesday 10th March 2010 in Berlin.
The delegation is led by Acting Permanent Secretary, Mrs Eunice Miima.
Kenya’s participation in the ITB, which is the world’s largest tourism expo, comprise tour operators, hotels, lodges and government tourism agencies whose primarily mission this year is to promote diversified tourism products to the German market. This follows a notably slow growth in tourist numbers compared to other key traditional source markets
 According to the annual market performance reports for the last three years, Germany which has previously been occupying second position after the UK has slipped two places and is now at number four behind the USA and lately Italy. In 2009, the highest source market in international arrivals by air and sea were from the UK (164,169) followed by USA (102,255), Italy (66,889), Germany (65,101) and France (41,062).
Speaking in Berlin where she is leading the Kenya tourism industry in the expo, the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism Mrs. Eunice Miima said, “It is evident that the Kenya coast which has all along been the destination of choice for the German tourist is losing its market share and time has now come to face this development with clear strategic measures”.
In response to the situation, the Ministry of Tourism through the Kenya Tourism Board has launched a consumer advertising campaign on television, newspapers and online targeting the summer traveler. The campaign is scheduled to start in April and May with a budget of Ksh. 18.5 million among a raft of other measures aimed at retaining the German attraction to the destination.
During the ITB which runs until Sunday, video advertisement on Kenya will be placed in Berlin underground trains and will be aired 160 times targeting  2.3 million passengers. More emphasis will be placed on selling the beach holiday with other attractions such as cultural tourism and sports oriented activities among others.
According to research by the KTB, the decline of beach holidays travel by the German tourists has decreased from 65% in 1998 to 54% in 2009 to change of travel habits. “The current generation of German tourists is younger and increasingly sophisticated with expectations for a broader range of travel experiences which Kenya must strive to meet”, says KTB Managing Director Mr Muriithi Ndegwa.” He said lack of direct commercial flights from Germany and dependency on charter flights contributed to the change.
During the ITB the Kenya team will meet a spectrum of opinion leaders and world travel decision makers. The team will also seek to establish international business contacts and review old acquaintances.
Promotional materials that will be given away include invitation cards, Compact Disks for travel agents with facts and figures on Kenya and photo CDs to go out especially to the international media.
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