Tourism plays an important role in addition to being a significant determinant in the development and growth of our country’s economy hence the need to review the policies that guide the industry based on current trends.
The preference of many travellers across the globe is based on the research they undertake online on the places they want to visit. They make their decisions based on the desires they experience on social media which range from user-generated content on various platforms to marketing techniques of various brand institutions.
Therefore, in composing the national tourism strategy in Kenya henceforth, the lead agency in this sector in the spirit of managing sustainable tourism needs to incorporate the psychological response as an indicator which will eventually play a role in the packaging of niche tourism products and services Kenya has to offer.
With the current widening of the digital space, there has been a paradigm shift from traditional marketing skills that was contingent on packaging a product and service for a consumer.
Today, tourists are more curious about the experience that is shared by other tourists and travellers on the data generated online. It’s not only about the product but the experience itself. Key players in the sector should invest in innovation, digital technologies and new media that can offer a variety of prospects to tourists.
We should have the seasonal offering of incentives to locals and various influencers on social media platforms who have the capacity of marketing unique products in our country.
When we become successful in fulfilling the desires of tourists, we will eventually be on the right path of achieving sustainable development goals.
Kisumu
