The "medical spa" industry in Kenya can get a huge boost by marketing Kenya as a "haven"... We can & need to move up the food chain from primarily "wildlife" tourism to more...
Why doesn't Kenya Airways (or some other airline) target Japan as a source for high-spending tourists! In spite of recent weaknesses in Japan's economy, the Japanese remain avid high-spending travelers! If this route is considered "unprofitable" the Kenya government should try to provide "benefits" for this sector. I do not support subsidies but surely how about a discount on landing fees, fuel tax breaks & offering Japanese language courses in Kenyan universities?
Back to reality... All we have on our front pages is violence at the Coastal areas... violence in the Mt. Elgon area! Tourists from some countries e.g. Japan tend to prefer "safe" locations. Though these clashes do not affect most touristy areas, the "exposure" can be scary!
If we do not clamp down hard on insecurity & land rights... we can't project an image of safety for tourism. Violence can happen anywhere, anytime e.g. the Virginia Tech shooting but violence should not be a constant as seems the case in Kenya!
There have been killings & arson aplenty in the Banana Hill area...
While all this is going on, the Kenya Police spend valuable resources questioning The Standard about some story on the artur brothers while Kenyans are murdered in cold blood...
Sigh...
On a lighter note... I am surprised that Kenya doesn't have a condom factory... esp with Kenyans professing to be (very) sexually active... or that's what one would think listening to the guys at any drinking joint in Kenya... I wonder what flavours... My favourite is Passion... yes, pun intended...
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6 comments:
No, no, no,
Kenya is synonymous with the ultimate African Safari. When people think safari, they don't think "spa" and "calm".
They think adventure, nature, danger and a little bit of roughing it. Kenya's niche is eco-tourism and cultural adventure (all the maasai's please keep jumping)
For Americans, Spa means palm springs, Arizona or a caribbean hotpot.
The Americans can come for the wildlife or go to Busch Gardens!
What about the potentially much larger E. European & E.Asian market???
These are virgin markets that need to be exploited!
What we need to look at though in the meantime is infrastructural development. I mean the record no of tourists added to the emergence of domestic tourism is stretching the capacity of existing facilities. The bed occupancy is over the roof what we need is infrastructure development right now incentives towards that are welcome in order to cater for future expectations of high domestic and international tourists.
the violence is regretable. but politicians never see it until tourism gets a beating like happened after likoni clashes.
Spa is one step away from massage which is one step away from sex. Think of sex havens (Thailand, Brazil, Mtwapa) and you'll find plenty of "spas" there. ONly that they're not marketed so loudly. But many mzingus in Coast are here for "spas"...
Have you tried to register an international university in Kenya - takes 4 bloody years. Malaysia - the government gives you free land. Kenya just does not want business, unless certain bigwigs are involved.
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