Cases studies

Kenya 2008 political crisis – How to manage crisis communication & implement a relevant post-crisis recovery strategy.

• Agencies : Interface Tourism France
• Services : Events - Public Relations - Representation
• Clients : Kenya Tourist Board

Brief

In January 2008 Kenya experienced a severe political crisis, resulting from a dispute over the recent presidential elections. Images of violent riots which took place in Kenya’s major cities were  broadcast by international media and shocked public opinion worldwide.

As an immediate result:

• The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a negative travel advisory dissuading tourists from travelling to Kenya until the situation was stabilised.
• Tour operators froze departures to Kenya (following advice from the French Association of Tour Operators).
• Airlines suspended flights to Nairobi.

Tactics

Interface Tourism, representing Kenya Tourist Board in France since 2004, formed a crisis management team, composed of:

• President and CEO in charge of lobbying French and foreign institutions, and major French tourism trade & press associations.
• Promotion managers involved initially in daily crisis communication to journalists, trade members and the general public (through a dedicated hotline); and then in handling the post-crisis strategy, planning and implementing short- and mid-term recovery actions.

• Institutional lobbying (January to June 2008): of the Kenyan Embassy in Paris, the French Embassy in Kenya, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs… to lift the global negative travel advisory on Kenya. France hosted visits from various officials:
  • H.E. Elisabeth BARBIER – French Ambassador to Kenya – June 2008: a trade forum was organized for H.E. to deliver a message of positive reassurance.
  • Hon. Najib BALALA – Kenya's Minister of Tourism –July 2008: a meeting with the press, the trade and French officials.

• Trade lobbying (January to June 2008): of the French Association of Tour Operators, the  French Association of Travel Agents and Airlines.
• Worldwide recovery actions to reassure public opinion (Spring 2008): A “mega press trip” gathering together in Kenya some 250 journalists and a “mega famtrip” hosting 150 travel agents, with 15 different itineraries.
• To actively boost summer 2008 sales, call to action partnerships were implemented with tour operators: B2B activities: Kenya-dedicated e-newsletters, online promotions on B2B websites… B2C activities: Kenya-dedicated e-newsletters, promotional banners on websites, online communication campaign in travel selling websites, creation of a Kenya mini-site, consumer joint-advertising in upmarket lifestyle magazines…
• Charter flight sustainability programme: Kenya Tourist Board in France actively supported leading tour operator Nouvelles Frontières, in operating a direct flight to Kenya for winter 2008/2009 (with charter airline Air Méditérannée). The global marketing programme, run from Oct. 08 to Feb. 09, included a wide range of B2B and B2C activities, such as e-newsletters, special Kenya brochures, special offers, travel agent training, famtrips, shop front window campaigns, clients’ evenings, google referencing…

Result

• As a result of institutional lobbying: within 5 months the negative travel advisory page changed totally: all tourist regions were shown in green on the map. This shift in the travel advisory was the result (amongst other reasons) of the release of an official open letter by H.E. Elisabeth BARBIER, reassuring the public as to local stability and safety.
• As a result of trade lobbying: the Association of Tour Operators recommenced sales to Kenya on March 3rd 2008. The national carrier reopened its direct route CDG-NBO on June 11th and Interface Tourism organised for the occasion a press & trade evening to celebrate the reinstatement of direct flights to the destination.
• Positive media coverage generated in France immediately after the mega press trip: 17 articles for a total media value of 1.800.000 €.
• Following tour operators partnerships: 400 last minute sales to Kenya for summer 2008, corresponding to a total turn-over reaching 700.000 €.
• The charter flight sustainability program was achieved - boosting winter 08/09 arrivals: thanks to the Air Med charter flight, over 3.000 passengers were transported to Kenya from December 08 to March 09, corresponding to 23 % of all French arrivals to Kenya during that period! Nouvelles Frontières thus generated nearly 5.000.000 € turn-over through sales, a high ROI of 41 € on every 1 € invested!