KENYA KALLING – A TAILORED PROMOTION FOR THE INDIAN MARKET
(Posted 20th September 2016)
The uptake of the e visa application system by Indian nationals traveling to Kenya is successful and most of them now prefer the method over the manual process.
Kenya’s High Commissioner to India Florence Weche says the system which has been on a gradual implementation has now taken off with positive reception by travel trade in the market.
Last year, the government introduced an e visa application method though extended manual visa system at the port of entries into the country until such a time e visa was fully operational.
But while launching the Kenya Kalling marketing campaign by the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) in major Indian cities of Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore Weche termed the method as fast and trendy.
Manual application at port of entry still an option which allows in particular last minute deciders to still go to Kenya and not be hindered by a lack of Visa or inability to secure one at the last moment.
‘We advise our clients to do on-line visa applications and we have not experienced any challenge even though some still opts for the manual application at the port of entries‘ said the Director of Chalo Africa Smita Srivastava who is selling tours to Kenya.
Krisia Holidays Destination marketer Ms Shagun Dhawan said her clients have warmed up to e visa system of application whose initial challenges associated to it have been addressed.
At the same time the travel trade hailed the introduction of single visa for East African countries, a move they said has boosted regional travel and created opportunities for their clients to explore the diversity of the East African region.
They spoke during KTB’s launch of a six-month long marketing and promotional campaigns in major cities of India in a bid to increase tourist arrivals from the market by 21% after the campaign period.
KQ gives attractive rates
National Carrier Kenya Airways during the event announced an attractive, all inclusive airfare of INR 25,538 equivalent of about Kshs 38,963 for a return trip from Mumbai to Nairobi which can be booked on their website.
County Manager Lucie Malu said the rates will give impetus to the campaign which KTB has injected over Kshs 20 million to woo travelers to visit Kenya during the campaign period, starting their holiday on board the national airline already tasting the hospitality of Kenyans.
India is one of the fastest growing tourist source markets to Kenya and is ranked the third best performing market after US and UK with the current half year growth at 35% of 37,597 arrivals up from 27,944 recorded last year in the same period under review.
The government incentives of visa fee waiver for children below 16 years of age was also an important factor to interest more Indian travelers with their families to visit Kenya.Those wishing to visit other East African countries can also obtain the common Tourist Visa at a cost of just 100 US Dollars which then allows unrestricted travel between Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
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“The Indian community has strong attachment to their families and the visa fee waiver incentive would fit in well into their travel plans to Kenya,” said the High Commissioner.
