Kenya plans to market Malindi as a night life destination, Diani as family leisure, Mombasa as a hub for conferencing and Lamu for its cultural appeal to woo more holidaymakers to the coastal region.
Hasnain Noorani, the chairperson of the Coast Working Group and founder of Pride Inn hotels said the region is among the few destinations in the world with both beach and bush tourism attraction yet it is not well branded and marketed.
“The Coast records low tourist arrivals compared to beach destinations such as Mauritius due to lack of diversification,” he said during the annual Kenya Tourism Federation Tourism Networking Gala last Friday.
Hoteliers and tour operators are shifting focus to selling the region as an experiential wonderland by giving tourists a taste of beach, bush and culture.
A tourist could eat breakfast by the beach, enjoy lunch in the Old Town steeped in culture and dine out in the wilderness, all in one day.
For most tourists, relaxing on the long stretch of white sandy beach is the highlight of a holiday. But what happens when boredom creeps in?
Beach holidaymakers now want to additional experiences such as exploring caves in Mama Ngina Waterfront Park, walking through the sacred Kaya forest, taking care of injured Angolan Colobus monkeys and thereafter interacting with locals while learning how to tap wine.
This year has been good for the tourism industry as arrivals hit two million. However, the number is lower than competing countries which are selling their temples and churches, botanical gardens, colonial mansions and food markets as top attractions.
“Tourism is changing fast and we need to ease pressure off traditional attractions. We can’t offer the same things we did 15 years and expect to grow,” Joe Okudo, the Tourism and Wildlife Principal Secretary said.
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