Nairobi — The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is urging Kenyans to embrace domestic travel, explore new experiences, and contribute to the growth of the local tourism industry.
The call comes as the "You Deserve A Holiday" campaign has so far sold 108,963 bed nights, generating Sh1.1 billion since it was launched a year ago.
Speaking during the domestic activation drive held at Sigona Golf Club, KTB Chairperson Francis Gichaba emphasized the importance of domestic tourism in supporting local communities and economies.
He noted that while the campaign has already achieved significant milestones, there is still much potential to explore.
"We have seen communities and towns which have come up because of domestic tourism," said Gichaba.
"This is indeed a transformative phenomenon and speaks of the potential for further growth. We are creating new destinations through the 'You Deserve A Holiday' campaign as we encourage Kenyans to explore their own backyard."
Since its launch in June 2022, the "You Deserve A Holiday" campaign has successfully partnered with over 20 industry stakeholders, including tour operators, airlines, and hoteliers.
These collaborations have resulted in comprehensive travel packages designed to offer seamless experiences for domestic travellers.
The campaign aims to penetrate potential areas within the domestic market and sustain long-term demand for domestic travel through joint marketing initiatives, such as golf tour series, mall activations, corporate visits, church activations, and media promotions.
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The campaign has been to various destinations in the country including Nairobi, Machakos, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret through the Magical Kenya golf Tour.
On their part, travel trade partners have shown their commitment to promoting domestic travel and enhancing the overall tourism experience.
Jambojet Ag. Head of Sales and Marketing, Cynthia Otoro expressed enthusiasm about the growing trend of local travel stating:
"It is encouraging to see that people are embracing more local travel more and more. Through this campaign, we've uncovered places that people have never known existed," she said.
"We are proud to be part of the tourism and travel ecosystem as we are able to provide and give access to the hotels, tour operators, and other stakeholders involved in creating memorable travel experiences."
The campaign is set to continue its activation drives, with upcoming events in Nyeri and Mombasa.
