NEWS RELEASE
Najin and Fatu Branded on Kenya Airways (KQ) Dreamliner in a Partnership Between the Kenya Tourism Board and the National Carrier to Promote Kenya as a Tourist Destination.
November 25, 2021 - Kenya’s national carrier Kenya Airways (KQ) has entered into a partnership with the Kenya Tourism Board to promote Kenya as a tourist destination internationally, regionally, and locally.
The partnership involves branding of two KQ aircrafts; a Dreamliner and an Embraer with images of Kenya’s most iconic species creating visibility as a must-visit destination across the airline’s network of 45 destinations. The imagery features the last two northern white rhinos in the world who live on Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the elephant Tuskers from Amboseli National Park, and lions from Tsavo National Park.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary (CS) Najib Balala said that the collaboration will build a strong brand association between Magical Kenya and Kenya Airways and thus increase the destination’s appeal to more consumers in all the market segments. “Aviation is a critical pillar of our tourism industry and therefore partnerships such as this one are important to ensure that we continue to arouse the interest of travellers into the destination. It is especially important at this point in time as we work towards recovering tourism fully and attracting international visitors to Magical Kenya.”
The CS lauded KQ’s role in positioning the destination to the world adding that this was part of a larger strategy to partner with agencies that play a big role in tourism. “Kenya Airways has wide local and international reach given the airline’s route map hence the destination message will reach an expansive audience. This is part of our bigger plan to collaborate with partner agencies that play an important role in the growth of the tourism sector.”
The designs on the airplanes are hinged on the conservation themes in Kenya with the Dreamliner having the last two northern white rhinos in the world (Najin and Fatu) on one side. Najin and Fatu live on Ol Pejeta Conservancy which is also the largest black rhino sanctuary in East and Central Africa and the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. On the other side is Tim, the most famous and iconic elephant that lived in Amboseli National Park for over five decades. Tim was one of the last remaining great ‘tuskers”. The Embraer will have Tim and the king of the jungle; a lion depicting the man-eaters of Tsavo.
"Najin and Fatu, as the last of their kind, represent the consequences of ignoring the importance of wildlife conservation. However, they also give a glimpse of hope – through the work that we are doing with BioRescue on the northern white rhino recovery programme, that we can turn things around if we act now," said Ol Pejeta's Chief Commercial Officer, Ken Kimani. "We are excited about this partnership and look forward to welcoming tourists back to share all that the conservancy has to offer - including visiting Najin and Fatu.
On her part, Kenya Tourism Board CEO Dr Betty Radier lauded the National carrier for having contributed to the growth of tourism by enabling accessibility to tourism destinations in the country.
She said the partnership was among the many ventures the Board had explored with a view to growing the destination tourism offerings. “About a month ago, we launched a similar partnership with KQ subsidiary Jambojet which will ensure that our brand identity is visible locally. This partnership takes it a notch higher to ensure that our destination brand is visible globally within the 45 key destinations that KQ reaches,” said Dr. Radier.
Allan Kilavuka, CEO, Kenya Airways said, “With aviation as one of the most global industries: connecting people, cultures, and businesses across continents. We continue to commit to raising awareness of Kenya’s magical treasures to maximize the benefits of air transport and to support the sustainable development of Kenya’s thriving tourism economy. Kenya Airways has a zero-tolerance policy regarding Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) and has long supported wildlife conservation efforts with an aim to promote the protection of endangered wildlife and reduce demand for illegal wildlife products.”
Kenya received 305,635 international tourists in the first half of 2021 according to the Tourism Research Institute (TRI), statistics that show an improvement compared to 2020 when Covid-19 infections were high. Tourist numbers are expected to increase during the festive period and the vaccination campaign of citizens across the world is expected to continue. Destinations are expected to employ strategies meant to attract travellers as well as ensure that they remain top of mind.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Media Package
A collection of photographs and videos can be accessed through this media package. The photographs shall only be used in direct connection with the story depicted in this press release and are to be credited to Ol Pejeta Conservancy|Dylan Habil
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Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Ol Pejeta is the largest black rhino sanctuary in East and Central Africa, and home to the last two remaining northern white rhinos on the planet. It is the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees, in a Sanctuary established to rehabilitate animals rescued from the black market. It has some of the highest predator densities in Kenya, and still manages a very successful livestock programme. Ol Pejeta also seeks to support the people living around its borders, to ensure wildlife conservation translates to better education, healthcare and infrastructure for the next generation of wildlife guardians. Now more than ever, wildlife conservation is inextricably linked with the livelihoods of local communities. Ol Pejeta seeks to support the people living around its borders, to ensure wildlife conservation translates to better education, healthcare and infrastructure for the next generation of wildlife guardians.
Contact
Roxanne Mungai
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Deputy Fundraising & Communications Manager
+254 / 706 475737
roxanne.mungai@olpejetaconservancy.org