Author: staff reporter
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) has launched a domestic tourism marketing campaign aimed at boosting efforts to revitalize the tourism industry.
Consequently, the Board has enlisted the partnership of the domestic travel trade to make the campaign impactful through conversation into sales of tour packages.
Christened “you deserve a holiday” the campaign is tailored to support the sector by rallying Kenyans to travel to various destinations within the country to keep the domestic market a key anchor to the industry that has borne the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to KTB, the partnership with the travel trade will see them combine resources, messaging, and marketing initiatives with an aim of sustaining long-term demand for domestic travel.
While commenting on the new campaign, KTB CEO Dr. Betty Radier said that the program was part of the strategy aimed at addressing challenges facing the tourism industry as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Through this campaign, we aim to address the challenges that the tourism industry continues to face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sector has faced reduced uptake of hospitality services, closure of properties, and laying off of staff. One of the key lessons that we have learned during this period is that the domestic market has great potential to sustain the industry as it has been key in keeping many businesses afloat when international travel was minimal,” said Radier.
She added that trade partners and experience owners were key to the sector since they own businesses that attract travelers and therefore the board would partner with them to push the campaign “Tourism and travel businesses have benefited from the domestic market and this is the reason we shall be working together in the campaign. We have seen that the Kenyan consumer is eager to travel, we want to show them that they can also enjoy their own country,” she added.
Through the campaign, KTB will be seeking to address several challenges that continue to hinder domestic travel, including perceptions of affordability lack of planning culture, and lack of awareness on the available products and experiences available for the domestic travelers
Dr. Radier further urged players in the tourism sector to make a paradigm shift and develop packages and offers that fit into the new holiday calendar to enable Kenyans to make appropriate decisions and plans for vacations.
The tourism sector has been among the worst-hit sectors by the pandemic due to the closure of borders and cancellation of flights, as economies globally moved to control the pandemic. Kenya’s sector has heavily depended on forward bookings from international travelers pre-pandemic period, with the clientele taking more than half of the accommodation services. This placed most of the hotels, camps, and tour companies at mercy of local tourists, especially the growing middle-class with disposable incomes.
The industry has however been on a recovery path with the sector earnings jumping 65 percent to Sh146.51 billion last year up from Sh88.56 billion in 2020, according to the Kenya Tourism Sector Performance Report of 2021.
The report further noted that the domestic bed nights grew by 101.3 percent between 2020 and 2021 while international bed nights grew by 0.05 percent, an indication that the hospitality sector in Kenya has largely been supported by domestic travel in 2021.
The government attributed this performance to high demand from domestic tourists that took over hotels, coastal beaches, and parks.
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) today
presented the Private Sector Economic Manifesto for Nairobi County to the Azimio La
Umoja-One Kenya Alliance candidate for Governor, Mr. Polycarp Igathe.
The manifesto emphasizes eight thematic areas where the private sector wants changed,
on how the capital city is governed including e-government, compliance and enforcement,
healthcare, competitiveness, jobs creation as well as culture, and social inclusion.
Other priority interventions include a working and sustainable urban mobility and
transport system, an integrated urban land use plan, water, wastewater and solid waste
management, and robust security & disaster risk management agenda for the city.
In presenting the manifesto, KEPSA hopes to influence both the presidential and
Gubernatorial candidates to incorporate the private-sector economic agenda into their
leadership manifesto. According to Carole Kariuki, KEPSA Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
Nairobi requires a leader who will prioritize making Nairobi a competitive, green,
inclusive, resilient, and safe city to live, work and do business.
“KEPSA has been key in advancing legislative advocacy work around improving the
business environment and our development model through Public-Private Partnerships,
and this will be key in driving the economy of the county. It is time to make our city
workable and tourist-friendly to transform it to greater heights”, said Kariuki.
In KEPSA’s wish list for the county, is the call to embrace technology for a world-class
mobility and transport system coupled with proper management of traffic and congestion
in the city with full implementation of the national address system.
Others are the strengthening and availability of public health services including capacity
building and recruitment of adequate staff as well as the development of an integrated
system to manage water supply by increasing sufficiency, harvesting, and recycling as
well as adopting smart waste management systems for Nairobi.
“The next county government must ensure the complete restoration of Nairobi River and
its tributaries. It is time to start having outdoor concerts by the rivers and parks around
the city”, added Kariuki.
Similarly, the private sector wants the establishment and operationalization of a County
Disaster Operation Center, fully equipped with Early Warning Systems, hazard mapping,
a disaster monitoring database, and Standard Operating Procedures detailing the full
continuum of procedures for handling Level 1 and Level 2 disasters.
Speaking at the event, Igathe said if elected he will seek to create a fit-for-purpose county
government in the first one hundred days, with motivated staff and cabinet, to deliver on
his vision of Nairobi, adding that he will institute a five-year score card pegged on a yearly
performance agreement with the public.
Siaya County Senator, James Orengo, has begun pushing for the enactment of widows’ charter into the County laws and lobby legislators to make it a national law.
If passed into law, it will protect widows against harmful practices like cleansing, Inheritance, physical assault and property disinheritance that remain key challenges facing widows in the County.
“Women rights require that we treat women with dignity and the people who need dignity most are widows because many times their rights are being violated in the homes and within communities. We must make sure that when the husband dies, the widow will be in charge of the family and all the property. I think we can make the law better,”
The Charter developed by Rona Foundation incorporating views of over 8,000 widows from six Siaya Sub County was submitted to Siaya County Assembly in May 2021.
It calls on the County Government to adapt into law and implement the widows charter to legislate a Widow’s Protection Bill- that will make the violation of Widows rights unlawful
“Part of the law of Siaya County in the next County Assembly, will be the widows’ charter and am challenging Otiende Amollo and other national assembly legislators to make it a national law as their first duty in the next parliament,” said Orengo.
The charter also calls for establishment of the Office of Widowed Persons within the department of Gender & social protection to address policies, strategies, and implementation mechanisms including frameworks and formulated schemes to enable widows access resources and support on priority to attain UN Sustainable Development Goals, more specifically Goal No. 5.
Come Together Widows and Orphans Organization (CTWOO) Founder, Dianah Kamande said pursuing justice has been a major challenge to widows especially those who are already victims of gender-based-violence since it requires a lot of money for the justice process, which they lack.
“Poverty has made it hard for them to afford lawyers hence the lack of representation also results in difficulties in the pursuit for justice where they end up not getting justice at all,” she said.
CTWOO is a nonprofit Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that creates a safe space where widows and survivors of gender-based violence can share their experiences and ideas. It has nationwide network working with over 1 million widows in all the 47 counties
Orengo who spoke when he officiated the commemoration of International Widows Day (IWD) 2022 said Kenya needs more women leaders for women rights to be honoured.
The theme for this year’s IWD is ‘Dignity – Economic Empowerment and Social Justice for Widows’ in recognition of the extricable link between economic empowerment, poverty and social justice for the dignity of all widows.
During the event, a Ksh. 30 Million kitty was unveiled to spur growth of small businesses run by widows and enable them to venture into new income generating activities.
The funds pooled from Women Enterprise Fund, Uwezo Fund, Youth Fund and National government affirmative fund will support among other initiatives, like fish caging, poultry farming and table banking.
Siaya County Women Representative, Dr. Christine Ombaka said, “Widows have a history of working hard to improve the well-being of families and children. That is why the government has set aside funds to boost your businesses and strengthen your socio-economic initiatives.”
Rarieda Member of Parliament, Otiende Amollo, said if Azimio-one Kenya Alliance forms the next government, widows- ranked among the most vulnerable, will be the first beneficiaries of Ksh 6,000 monthly stipend.
“What you may not have known is that in the order of listing, that will be done in conjunction with county commissioners, we start with the most vulnerable, and the most vulnerable are the widows,” said Amollo.
The 2019 Census confirmed that there are over 1 million widows living in Kenya and the number is expected to be on the rise due to challenges such as the Covid-19 and increasing incidences of accidents.
Fairtrade international is enhancing market access by working alongside farmers and workers to strengthen their businesses, take greater control over their lives, and generate solutions that alleviate poverty, assure human rights, and build climate resilience.
Fairtrade is working with farming co-operatives, 6,500 businesses and governments to make trade fair, and trigger a catalytic effect through providing livelihoods for farmers and people employed along the food supply chain while also contributing to reducing food insecurity across the globe and boosting the African economy.
There are more than 1.9 million farmers in the Fairtrade system represented by 1,880 producer organizations across the globe.
Growth of Fairtrade farmers and workers from the year 2015 to 2020 stood at 389,324. Top 7 products include coffee, cocoa, bananas, sugar, flowers and plants, tea, and cotton, which represent more than 90 percent of the farmers and workers in the Fairtrade system.
“Challenges of climate change are too big and urgent to be tackled by individuals. Fairtrade is expanding its model and engaging people and organizations to power our impact. This is Fairtrade’s most ambitious strategy to date, and it reflects the gravity of the challenges we face. Additionally, Fairtrade is an enabler to farmers and workers in developing countries to secure better livelihoods through tackling the injustices of the global value chain,” says Fairtrade International Global CEO, Ms Sandra Uwera.
The Fairtrade’s Base wage is set at a minimum of 70% of the take-home pay needed for a living wage, which has been established by the Global Living Wage Coalition of standard setters for more than 30 countries and regions. The changes mean wages will increase by up to 15 % for thousands of workers in origins where workers currently earn less than the Fairtrade Base Wage. In East Africa, introduction of the base wage in the floriculture industry has already resulted in significant increase in incomes for workers.
Fairtrade producers’ coffee sales remained stable globally. This was due to lack of travel restrictions within producing regions and a lack of shipping containers limited transport. Out-of-home sales have been slowly recovering and Fairtrade producers have been able to hold competitions, such as the Golden Cup, which have showcased the high quality of Fairtrade coffee in 14 countries, either virtually or in-person. The top markets for Fairtrade coffee in 2020 were Germany, the UK, the US, Canada, and France.
In 2020, producer sales for flowers remained almost stable, declining only two percent, despite massive logistical challenges due to the pandemic restrictions. Fairtrade flower producers showed resilience and determination during a very difficult time in spring 2020 when exports ground to a halt. The top markets for Fairtrade flowers and plants in 2020 were Germany, the UK, Switzerland, Sweden, and Finland, while the most significant growth was seen in Germany, Austria, Sweden, and France. Fairtrade is working with its producers to deliver carbon neutral flowers – like in the case of Wild Flower Ltd.
“Farmers and workers are embedded in all levels of our governance and decision-making. Understanding the impact of our work requires transparency and traceability, with the data to back it up. We unlock the power of Fairtrade supply chains with data-led insights that provide producers and companies with the tools to demonstrate Fairtrade’s impact and support learning,” adds Ms Sandra Uwera.
Some of the global brands that support Fairtrade include Guylian Chocolates, Maltesers Chocolates, Ben n Jerry Ice Cream among others. Some key customers and partners include Mars group, Carrefour Hypermarkets, Coop Supermarkets, Ben n Jerry (part of Unilever), Cargill, Barry Callebaut, B-Lab among others.
Locally in Kenya – Fairtrade Africa has supported leading brands like Kericho Gold and Dormans Coffee to source sustainable coffees and teas from Fairtrade certified value chains. Other brands include Zawadi Coffee (a women grown and owned coffee brand), Lecom from Machakos, , Umoja and Sireet Tea from the Rift Valley among others.
Global changemakers including Eliud Kipchoge, David Beckham, Pierre Aubameyang, Yemi Alade, Eliud Kipchoge, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie came together with youth voices from across the globe to demand urgent action to end malaria, as they delivered the Zero Malaria Starts with Me – Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign petition to world leaders at the Kigali Summit on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Kigali, Rwanda.
Global leaders, led by African Heads of State have made the first in a series of significant pledges to accelerate progress against malaria and NTDs, with commitments totaling to more than $4 billion, including funding from governments, international organisations, philanthropists, and the private sector.
Presented at the Summit by acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the campaign petition is a rallying cry to wipe out the disease that now kills a child every minute and is the culmination of the multi-award-winning Draw The Line creative campaign, created and executed by dentsu who are activating mass media as a catalyst for global change.
Through this campaign, youth from all over the world were invited to visit zeromalaria.org and send a message to leaders through a unique piece of crowdsourced artwork – a striking visual representation of the Zero Malaria Starts with Me youth commitment to end one of humanity’s oldest and deadliest diseases within a generation.
David Beckham, Malaria No More UK Leadership Council founding member, says: “I have supported the fight against malaria for many years and am proud to be a part of this amazing campaign, alongside many inspiring artists, athletes and champions from across Africa. This is a year of big opportunity and there is a way of curing this disease. World leaders have the power and responsibility to make change and create a safer, healthier, fairer world for all.”
Held on the side-lines of the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Kigali Summit is a milestone moment in the malaria fight, and one where game-changing political decisions are needed to save hundreds of thousands of lives, predominantly children, under renewed threat due to the perfect storm of economic, pandemic and political pressures.
Decisionmakers have the opportunity to put renewed momentum behind this fight, by building on the commitment to halve malaria across the Commonwealth by 2023, and by galvanising the record funds needed ahead of the Global Fund’s Seventh Replenishment in New York this Autumn, totalling US$18 billion to get progress back on track.
World Health Organization Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says: “The World Health Organization welcomes a new host of scientists, youth, and champions to join the malaria fight at a crucial time when progress against the disease is lagging. Draw The Line provides a platform for Africa’s most powerful narrators to change this trajectory, disrupt political apathy, and lead the fight to end this treatable and preventable disease which kills a child nearly every minute.”
Interim CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, Dr Corine Karema, commented: “The RBM Partnership to End Malaria welcomes the incredible commitments that will be made at today’s Summit and urges further action. The message from African youth is loud and clear – global leaders are responsible for ensuring we end malaria within a generation. Only by working together can we truly unlock the potential of countries to build a healthier, safer, and stronger world.”
With close to three-quarters of Africans aged under 35, youth are vital and powerful agents of change. The ground-breaking Draw The Line campaign, first launched in early 2021, is the first global malaria campaign targeted at young people. Dentsu International are renewing their commitment to malaria at the Kigali Summit, unlocking $5 million worth of pro bono media support to help accelerate progress by inspiring action and commitment, and delivering an urgent appeal to leaders to improve the lives and futures of millions of people.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chief Storyteller at the Summit, says: “Malaria has been a frequent and terrible scourge in my life and in the lives of so many people. It doesn’t have to be. Malaria is preventable and has no place in our world today, shackling the health and futures of the next generation. I ask leaders at the Kigali Summit to please be bold and make zero malaria and neglected tropical diseases their legacy.”
Alongside the high-level delivery of the petition, the fast-paced Draw The Line Against Malaria film, backed by the RBM Partnership to End Malaria and fronted by a stellar cast of young people, activists, scientists, and stars, was screened at the Summit to highlight that the fight against malaria is one that we can win with the right arsenal of tools, strong funding commitments, and renewed political will.
“We are faced with the greatest human challenge of our time, as we race towards achieving the UN SDGs by 2030. We believe that global media will be a core contributor towards creating change on this scale and we intend to be a leader in creating this purposeful progress,” says Roxanne Boyes, Strategy Director, and Regional Sustainability Lead for dentsu Africa.
The Zero Malaria Starts with Me – Draw The Line Against Malaria campaign now turns its focus to the Global Fund Replenishment summit in New York in September, in support of the African Union’s (AU) Catalytic Framework to end AIDS, TB, and Eliminate Malaria in Africa by 2030, and ALMA’s Malaria Youth Army.