Tanzania Seeks Out Sunderland FC to Promote Its Tourism. What is Kenya Doing?

Written by Dennis Onderi

As Kenya grapples with insecurity and the consequent ailing tourism, her neighbor Tanzania is confidently striding across the borders to replenish its parks with international visitors.

A closer look at the once vibrant industry, the number of international tourists’ arrivals has plummeted owing to the incessant terror threats and attacks from the Al-Shabaab militant group thereupon scaring the visitors away.

The Tourism Recovery Taskforce, which is charged with the responsibility of instituting turnaround strategies to reanimate the ailing sector.

On its list ‘Global Terrorism Index 2014’, the Institute for Economics and Peace ranked Kenya 12th most at risk of becoming less peaceful on its list of countries most affected by terrorism. The country also sits 132 on the Global Peace Index score and this insecurity setback has seen the numbers of tourist arrivals plummet.

When the task force took charge, Chairperson Lucy Karume revealed that the private sector has used over KES 14.7 million in local and international media familiarisation trips to showcase Kenya as a safe destination.

Amid the lukewarm reception, the government has set out to hire a foreign PR company to restore Kenya’s image abroad. During the World Travel Market held in London in August, Tanzania Tourist Board (an equal of Kenya Tourism Board) seized the chance to secure Sunderland FC’s services to “promote their beautiful country to a wider audience” and “develop sports tourism in Tanzania”. The ties are not new: they are deep-rooted.

Since then, the club has labeled all its flash tops “VISIT TANZANIA”. The club, in partnership with Tanzania Tourist Board and South African Airways, launched a competition whereby four lucky fans are set to jet off to Tanzania and experience the African savannah for a whole week this holiday.

What if Kenya employed such a strategy? In fact, Kenya has more elite sportsmen than Tanzania contracted in top class leagues in the world like Victor Wanyama who plays for Southampton FC in England. What if Kenya Tourism Board turned to such clubs whereby they are assured of reaching a wider audience than just an international PR firm? It’s up for debate.