Kenya tourism call by Virgin

Posted on May 19th, 2008 in Featured, Travel advice

Virgin is making a bid to help Kenya tourism with a dedicated advertising campaign which starts today (Monday 19th May).

The move coincided with the Virgin president Sir Richard Branson urging tourists to return to Kenya following the end of political unrest.

Speaking in Nairobi, he said: “The post election troubles, which were predominantly focused in the non-tourist areas, have now subsided.

The advertising push, which focuses on the migration of the Wildebeest, will appear at London’s Underground, mainline railway stations and the national press.

The carrier is offering a £417.80 return on daily Airbus A340 flights from Heathrow to Nairobi on bookings made by May 31 for travel until June 19 and between August 25 and December 8.

“A treaty has been signed between president Mwai Kibaki and the opposition leader, now prime minister, Mr Raila Odinga in a power-sharing deal brokered by ex-UN head Kofi Annan and stability has returned to the political system.

“Tourism in Kenya is the number one industry for the nation and visiting now will make a huge difference to the locals who rely on the industry for their living.

“Kenya has been enjoying a considerable increase in tourist arrivals for the past five years with 2007 recording the highest number, with over two million tourists.”

Virgin Atlantic, one of the world’s leading long-haul airlines, has also unveiled a new advertising campaign aimed at attracting more travellers back to Kenya.