EFFECTIVENESS OF DOMESTIC TOURISM MARKETING STRATEGIES IN CENTRAL KENYA REGION: A PRODUCT-PROMOTION DISCONNECT

Abstract

This study addresses the claim that Kenyan tourism is failing to properly develop a differentiated tourism product and is over-dependent upon developing independent promotion initiatives. It examines the comparative effectiveness of applying promotion over product development strategies. The study represents a sample of 200 respondents drawn from tourism establishments in Central Kenya surveyed between June 2007 and December 2013. Regression results indicated that many stakeholders perceive promotion as more important than product development (P ˂0.05). It implies that promotion disconnection from other strategies curtails attainment of competitive advantage. The findings report a marketing paradigm that integrates product differentiation with promotion.