Unlocking the Kenyan Tourism Potential Through Park Branding Exercise

Abstract

For half a century, the key vocabularies defining Kenya's tourism sector have been: safari, big ftoe, StWanna, Maasai and the coastal Swahili. Of the 52 national parks and reserves in Kenya, only 6 accounted for 70% of the total visitation in 2006. This leaves many conservation areas with hardly any tourism activity. While acknowledging that Kenya has not yet fully exploited its tourism potential, this paper puts into perspective efforts being undertaken by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) in trying to popularize less frequented conservation areas since 2005. Indeed, a publication by the World Bank Group (2010) on the state of Kenya's tourism brought to the fore the fact that Kenya has an important 'jewel' that needs to be polished. Through an analysis of the brand names and images associated with different parks, this paper also explores the gaps inherent in achieving destination competitiveness at a micro level. Indeed, the branding exercise not only meant the rehabilitation of infrastructure but also a comprehensive community outreach programmes around the protected areas. Nevertheless, an analysis of the branding messages and intentions suggest that for the KWS, the brand names proposed limit themselves within the confines of the parks with no regard for the bigger picture of the surrounding environment within which the parks are found.

Auditing the Marketing and Social Media Communication of Natural Protected Areas. How Marketing Can Contribute to the Sustainability of Tourism

“…The results of the study of Corbera et al [51] recognize that marketing has a fundamental role in increasing the benefits arising from effective management, increasing the overall economy of protected zones. (2) Marketing has a positive effect, as it delimits the creation of the natural destination, through a name, a logo, some words (catch phrase) and a design associated with the values of the park [52], or through an identifying image [52,53]. 3Marketing adjusts the service to the needs and redirects efforts towards clearer and more defined objectives.…”

“…There is a lack of directives on the correct use and implementation of marketing techniques in the management plans of NPs [49]. Small efforts to conduct marketing for NPs has given way to their passive promotion, which implies a weakness [52].…”

“…Another of the principal problems of management is the lack of relevant messages and communication [1,52]. These weaknesses are serious because they detract from the contribution of NPAs to their environments [65,66].…”

Factors Influencing the Decision of the People of Kisii Town to Consume Domestic Tourism Products

“…There are national parks and reserves, savannas in the Maasai Mara full of game and the popular Big Five in addition to the spectacular wildebeest migration (Kaminsky, 2017) not to mention the friendly climate all year through. One cannot fail to mention the alluring flora and fauna (Kihima, 2014). The Ewaso Ngiro River is known for elephant herds and leopards (Munjoma, 2012) while the Tsavo with its vastness has the Big Five rolling plains and plateaus on a clear view on the historic Kenya/Uganda railway (Kihima, 2014).…”

“…One cannot fail to mention the alluring flora and fauna (Kihima, 2014). The Ewaso Ngiro River is known for elephant herds and leopards (Munjoma, 2012) while the Tsavo with its vastness has the Big Five rolling plains and plateaus on a clear view on the historic Kenya/Uganda railway (Kihima, 2014).…”