KTB using Boston, London Marathons to market Kenya

Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is undertaking promotional campaigns in the United States and the United Kingdom to cement the country’s position as a sports tourism destination.

The board is using the two upcoming marathons, Boston and London to achieve their targets.

According to KTB CEO June Chepkemei, the high-profile marathons have propelled Kenya into the international spotlight for sports tourism adding that the marathons present an opportunity to showcase the destination’s dominance on some of the world’s most iconic courses.

For the Boston and London marathon slated for 15 and 21 April respectively, KTB has pitched camp at the marathon Expo’s as it seeks to promote Kenya’s diverse tourism experiences besides sports.

“This year, KTB will be at the marathon expos to interest marathon enthusiasts to sign up in some of the marathons hosted in Kenya like the Standard Chartered which also takes place in the city of Nairobi. This will allow them to come run with the champions and savour some of the tourism offerings Kenya is endowed with’’ said the CEO.

KTB has also partnered with KQ and other players to also extend a holiday trip to Kenya for the lucky winners during stand activations at the expo booth.

The US and the UK are key source markets for Kenya’s tourism and the two destinations have big sports fan bases which we have to target and a supportive diaspora base

In the review period between January and November last year, The United States emerged as the leading source market to Kenya with a market share of 14% and a total of 241,581 arrivals. This represented a significant 28% growth compared to the previous period last year of 188,463.

The United Kingdom also recorded a strong performance, with an 8% market share of 140,763 arrivals. This represented a 7% growth compared to the previous year's arrivals of 131,526

KTB CEO said Sports tourism has become an important niche market for Kenya, and these iconic marathons are global platforms to highlight our country as a must-visit destination for athletics enthusiasts and adventurous travellers looking for an unforgettable holiday experience

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According to UN Tourism, sports tourism is a rapidly growing industry, generating around 10% of the world's expenditure on tourism. It has an estimated growth rate of 17.5% between 2023-2030.

With Kenya aiming to welcome 5.5 million visitors annually by 2028, sports tourism provides a significant opportunity to achieve this goal and spread the economic benefits of tourism to communities across the country.