KTB INTRODUCES MICHAEL JOSEPH
The long expected ‘welcome’ party by the Kenya Tourist Board was finally held last week when KTB formally introduced their new chairman Mr. Michael Joseph to the tourism trade and invited guests.
Joseph, long serving founder CEO of Safaricom in Kenya, retired late last year from Kenya’s most successful mobile phone company, and was not long afterwards appointed the new chairman of KTB by tourism minister Najib Balala, following in the footsteps of tourism supremo Jake Grieves-Cook who had served two three year terms at the helm of the organization.
In 2010 Kenya recorded the best ever results of the tourism sector in terms of revenues and arrivals and all elements are in place to make 2011 an even more successful year, provided political stability is maintained and ‘incidents’ avoided.
Michael was then quoted to have paid special attention in the future focus of the tourism board to the MICE segment, in particular conference tourism and revealed that government had a piece of land available in Mombasa where a new coast based international conference centre – similar to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi – could be constructed. The coast, while having conference facilities in a number of the beach resorts, does not have the capacity like Nairobi to host a really big international meeting at this moment in time, unless in multiple locations.
He also asked for constant product reviews and improvements, innovations and diversification to ensure that Kenya’s position, in Eastern Africa and while competing with in particular beach holiday destinations in other parts of the world, remained at its very best.
2 Responses
Thanks for your comments — your should forward to the Kenya Tourism Board!
On Mon, May 9, 2011 at 4:12 PM, Kamau THUO wrote:
Dear Rasna,
I have read your article that appeared in today’s Daily Nation with interest and amazement because its only yesterday that my friend and I were discussing how Kenya continues to lose great tourist and economic opportunities. So you are not alone in wondering how come the people in charge of marketing Kenya do not seem to see things the way we do:
1. We are told that Queen Elizabeth ascended to the throne while holidaying at Tree Tops hotel in Nyeri. Had it been another country, rich tourists would be competing to pay millions of dollars to stay at the Tree Tops. The place would have been modified and marketed with slogans like: ‘Dare Dine with the Queen at Tree Tops in Kenya’
2. Following Princess Diana’s death, the heirs to the British Throne: Princes Charles and William came to Kenya for recuperation. Very few people know about it. Kenya could be marketed as the place for the ROYAL refuge or something to that effect!
3. Another milestone is the engagement of Prince William on the slopes of Mount Kenya. This is another missed opportunity for Kenya to market the respective tourist site. Besides, Kenya should have pulled every string to invite Prince William to honeymoon in the country of his grandma’s ascension and the country where he sealed his betrothal!
4. The annual tourist attraction of the migration of the wildebeest in Masaai Mara has been rated as one of the seven wonders of the world. The film of the same should have been perfected to be screened on the flights, in cinemas and on major TV stations like CNN, BBC, SKY etc.
5. Kenya is the PREMIER safari country of the world and the country should continually and constantly be markedted as such:
Kenya, world’s SAFARI country
Fly Kenya Airways, world’s SAFARI AIRLINE
Kenya: the world of SAFARI people
Kenya: the world of natural safari habitats: snow-peaked mountains, snow-white beaches, unique white rhinos, the rift valley lakes
Ahsante sana
Kamau THUO
I sure hope KTB monitors the web on anything appearing about them … but thanks for the feedback anyway!