It is no secret that the present travel behavior is influenced by social media. Most of the people will visit a destination simply because they saw someone’s photo on Instagram that looked so great and opted to also see what’s happening. It is for this reason why influencers are a vital component when it comes to marketing in tourism and most companies realizing this, are opting to use them to make destinations and their brands visible.
Digital videos too have become key in that they are an easy to digest format that gives the eyes rest from the tiring textual content online. They are also versatile and engaging and give the real time picture of what’s happening on ground.
In addition, videos are also currently very accessible to anyone who can access the internet both to watch and to produce. Anything that is viral is probably linked to some video somewhere and the smart phones have made it easier for people to create their own content.
With these two as the trending way of making the business or destinations known, companies are scrambling to find the best and most influential people who can combine both video and their influence to make what they do visible.
“I have never regretted using influencers to market my brand. They are the face of the brand and assist in creating awareness. They also show how traveling with Bountiful Safaris is to their audience,” – Esther Njoroge, CEO Bountiful Safaris
For instance, companies like regional low-cost carrier Jambojet partnered with influencers to launch a campaign dubbed, “Now travel ready,” whose aim was to encourage domestic travel in its destinations. Tour firms too use renowned personalities to market the various tour packages that they have to the locals. For instance, Bountiful Safaris has engaged influencers such as Timothy Kimani (njugush) and his family, Abel Mutua and his family together with Size 8 reborn and her family to market their brand.
“I have never regretted using influencers to market my brand. They are the face of the brand and assist in creating awareness. They also show how traveling with Bountiful Safaris is to their audience,” explains Esther Njoroge, CEO Bountiful Safaris.
General Manager for Sankara Nairobi Autograph Collection, Mr. Krishna Unni incorporated the use of influencers in their marketing plan just before the pandemic. According to Krishna, one must be careful though to ensure that they choose the right influencers.
“You need to choose your right influencers, are they micro or macro? Influencers do play a role and it depends on what you want to achieve or what exactly your goal is. You must plan and see what kind of message you want to send out and not just rush out to pick one. We have certain influencers that we have worked with in the past as we wanted to have someone with a positive reputation and who has the same values and believes in our brand. There is no point having someone who doesn’t believe in Sankara or the values that we stand for. So that’s one key ingredient we look for,” he says.
Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife has adopted this strategy too in its marketing strategy. For instance, last year, noticing it’s impact, KTB partnered with Tiktok to broadcast the wildebeest migration live. In collaboration with the award-winning wildlife photographer Jeffrey Wu, and experts from renowned local organisations including African Wildlife Foundation and Maasai Mara National Reserve, the session educated the audience on the Maasai Mara ecosystem on the impact and importance of tourism, on preserving the environment, and the impact of the pandemic, among others.
“We are always looking for strategic collaborations to position the country as a preferred tourist destination and this partnership is a great milestone. Kenya is a rich and diverse country, with an incredible wildlife offering which we want to highlight as well as protect. Together with TikTok we can engage the world with content and experiences from any part of the country and drive more awareness of our country and wildlife, especially during this time when travel is limited with the aim of curbing the spread of the virus. Kenya Tourism Board is keen to ensure MagicalKenya remains top of mind among consumers and the TikTok platform is making this possible,” said Dr. Betty Radier, Chief Executive Officer, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB).
KTB has also used various influencers like award-winning long-distance runner, Eliud Kipchoge to showcase Kenya to the world. They have also used international influencers like, a group of 50 women from The Colored Girl Community were recently hosted at the Nairobi National Park which was a big catalyst to tourism growth in terms of numbers and receipt. The Colored Girl Global Community has a combined buying power of USD3.9 trillion making it a prime target market for Kenya’s tourism. Their key tourist interests include cultural experiences, safari, beach experiences, culinary experiences, and fashion.
“The Imara retreat resonates with the current vision of Kenya’s tourism sector – just like this retreat, we are focusing on ensuring that our visitors have immersive and life changing experiences when they visit Kenya. We want them not just to feel safe but to also carry memories that will last their lifetime. In Nairobi, the group was able to enjoy Safari, culinary experiences, culture, fashion, and shopping among other experiences,” she says.
“The choice of travel as a way of achieving wellness and motivation is wise because travel changes perspectives in terms of how one views things as well as helping one to learn about cultures and other people from across the globe. Kenya is glad to tap into the Colored Girls and other networks to show the world that Kenya should be a travel destination for all,” adds Radier.