The holiday season, with lots of local travel, is here. Reminds me of two previous frustrating moments. I was winding up a mission centred around two hotels off Moi South Lake Road, Naivasha. I did business in one and slept in the other. I needed to pick up some simple gifts for folks in Nairobi.
Something uniquely Naivasha. Either branded artifacts, caps, bracelets or key holders. I wouldn’t have minded branded T-shirts or even simple house or office decor.
Something memorable, but associated with Naivasha, that one can wear, see, touch or hang. But there was none in the tack shops in either hotel. What was available was exclusively brand “Kenya”. I could understand.
These hotels play host to large groups of international guests. They, therefore, stock up for such residents. Though ready to spend, nothing suited my need. Clearly, a lost business opportunity.
Last month, I was in Mombasa. Yet again I needed something specific to Mombasa. But I couldn’t find any at the hotel and airport tack shops.
There were a lot of brand “Kenya” items though, targeted at international guests. But I must commend the Sarova Whitesands tack shop for stocking up caps branded in the hotel name. I happily purchased some. For lack of options, I could only buy a book at the Mombasa Airport tack shop.
This enhanced my hunch that there’s an unexploited business opportunity here. There’s growing inter-county and inter-city travel by Kenyans that could be harnessed to boost local tourism.
A mental tour of Europe and the US will give good comparables. T-shirts, key holders, caps of all colours and quality carrying names of cities, clubs or even rivers will be on offer.
New York, Washington, London, Manchester, Bonn or Paris. I have some. Fair enough, we need the brand Kenya items for our international guests.
But why aren’t we targeting local guests too? Naivasha could for instance have simple items branded ‘Lake Naivasha’, ‘Naivasha, Happy City’, ‘Naivasha, Home to Geothermal Power’ or even ‘Naivasha, Home to Best Flowers’.
Mombasa has limitless opportunities. ‘Mombasa Island City’, ‘Mombasa, Kenya’s sea gateway’, ‘Mombasa, Tour Capital’. Such localised branding may greatly appeal to travellers from other parts of the country.
They may want to identify with something uniquely Mombasa. And this applies to many other cities, towns, and even counties, all of which may have something unique worth remembering.
Sir Izaak Walton Inn located in my home county of Embu, which is quite popular with cross-county travellers, could stock with items branded to echo: ‘Embu, Land of Opportunity’, ‘Embu, Home to Hydro Power’ or ‘Embu, Home to Best Coffee/Tea’. Kakamega is famous for the ‘Isukuti dance’, the ‘Crying Stone’ and ‘Bull Fighting’.
These are unique to the county and can be tapped to brand gifts attractive to travellers. Kisumu has an even wider variety. Let’s get creative on this. It may enhance local identity and boost inter-county and inter-city trade and tourism.
