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KWS To Intensify Focus On Indian Outbound
Neeti Chopra - Nairobi
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), responsible for protection
of national bio-diversity, with jurisdiction over 57 national parks and game
reserves spanning eight per cent of Kenya's land surface, is all set to tap
Indian tourists. The organisation is expecting a 15 per cent increase in visitations
from India to its national parks and game reserves, this year.
Said Alex Odero, head - business development and corporate affairs, Kenya Wildlife
Service, "Our national parks and game reserves suffered from 9/11 till
December 2003 as traditional markets held back due to travel advisories. Just
as quickly as existing markets develop and mature, new markets filled with tremendous
potential are born. Therefore, every year, we focus on emerging markets and
India is our prime target this year. Besides targeting the Indian middle and
higher income groups, we will be promoting our product to retired individuals
as they form a large part of the Indian populace."
 As
far as international marketing is concerned, KWS jointly works with the Kenya
Tourist Board and government agencies to market its product. In India, KWS plans
to participate in roadshow being organised by Kenya Tourist Board in October
this year. Focussing primarily on Delhi and Mumbai, KWS is looking at promoting
its national parks namely, Lake Nakuru, Tsavo East, Tsavo West, Amboseli, Mount
Kenya, Aberdares and Sibiloi.
The current focus of KWS is on production of promotion and marketing material
for its source markets. The organisation has increased its investment to 22
million Kenyan Shilling for 2005-06 from 18 million Kenyan Shilling in 2004-05
for marketing and promotion of its products. The organisation aims to increase
the budget to 50 million Kenyan Shilling by the next financial year.
 The
promotion and marketing material for 18 national parks will be produced by the
end of this year that would include guidebooks, posters, brochures, pamphlets
and tour planners. KWS has also undertaken translation of these materials into
Chinese, Japanese, French, German and Arabic languages that will be published
by March next year. "We are also embarking on production of electronic
materials including CDs, DVDs, and video cassettes by March 2006. We want to
work in partnership with airlines such as Kenya Airways, KLM, Emirates, Ethiopia
Airlines, British Airways and Air-India in order to disseminate information
to the right target clientele," Odero mentioned.
On the global front, KWS foresees an increase in visitations from traditional
markets like Germany, UK and France due to lowering of travel advisories. On
the other hand, KWS has been intensifying its marketing initiatives in Hong
Kong, Europe and Middle East as a result of which the visitation from emerging
markets excluding India has increased by 30 per cent.
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