Product placing Kenyan tourism industry

A good example is the much loved crime buster “Cobra Squad,” written and produced by our very own multi-talented government spokesman; Alfred Mutua. It is sponsored by Brookside milk among many others and in every show the product must be made visible. How this has increased sales is a topic for another day but it has increased product awareness.

In the same article, a key player in Kenyan show business, Charles Bukeko was quoted saying how various corprate identities were scrambling to sponsor as many shows as possible. In fact the cash seems to outstrip the available productions. The point is ingenuity has crept into both producers and coperates on how to use an age old medium with an enviable target audience to achieve visibility and product awareness.

To this end however, the Kenyan tourism industry seems to be lagging behind. Instead of complaining about the lack of local tourism, they should look toward their business counterparts and hop on the bandwagon. Most Kenyans are not even aware of what the tourism industry has to offer apart from the traditional big five, beaches and other interesting spots and is long believed to be a preserve of foreign high spending retirees and holiday-makers. It is time to use available and yet interesting ways to convince more Kenyans to take holidays at home.

One possible way is through a suspense filled reality show that takes the contestants through the beautiful and internationally-acclaimed tourist spots in Kenya. Mores so, the affordable ones in these days of lighter pockets and it should be packaged as infotainment. It is very motivating, enlightening and enticing to see ordinary Kenyans having affordable fun in our own country. Only then can the unconvinced and skeptical majority take local tourism seriously.