Exploring Motivations and Factors Impacting upon Destination Choice of the UK Residents: Reflecting on Kenyan Tourism

Abstract

For decades, Kenya has been renowned around the world as the most developed and premier destination in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, in recent years, the prime position has been threatened due to competition from emerging markets, in the Beach and Wildlife Safari market. Therefore, Kenya has to compete for international tourists and the UK market as remained to be a top generating source of market. This study therefore explores the motivations and factors impacting upon destination choice of the UK tourists, with specific focus on Kenya as a tourist destination. Data was collected using questionnaires and the results indicated that the image of Kenya as held by the UK residents is quite positive and it highly influences their likelihood of choosing Kenya as a future holiday destination. The study concluded that it is of paramount importance for the Kenya Tourist Board to recognize the competitive advantage that Kenya has against other countries in order to remain competitive in the global marketplace and use it appropriately in order to market the country in the UK.

Keywords: Kenya, Motivation, Destination