Travel Expos: The Next Big Thing in Tourism Marketing

Across the globe, travel expos have become cornerstone events for networking, product showcasing, and destination marketing. From renowned global showcases like ITB Berlin, World Travel Market (WTM) London, and Arabian Travel Market, to Africa’s own Africa’s Travel Indaba, Sanganai/Hlanganani in Zimbabwe, and Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE), these platforms bring together industry stakeholders under one roof. In Kenya, such expos continue to grow in impact, offering a vibrant space for local and international brands to engage meaningfully with trade partners and consumers alike.

The idea of having exhibition booths in an open space or even a hall, each promoting their business, seems like another market day. Over the years, travel expos have morphed into intimate spaces that allow for conversations, stronger connections with the brand, and ultimately, loyal clientele. They are themed to serve a certain need, and all exhibitors align their products to meet that need. It has become almost impossible to attend an expo with a specific need and leave without a solution, as they have become more targeted.

The primary purpose of an exhibition in every industry is brand positioning and boosting sales. It is a marketing strategy that seeks to engage directly with potential clients while collecting one-on-one feedback from them to curate personalized products or solutions, or to make existing products better serve their needs.

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) is among the organizations that have embraced the idea of impactful exhibitions in the travel and tourism space. In addition to partnering with like-minded organizations such as Houston Marketing, which recently held the Nairobi Spotlight Expo, and Sarit Expo Centre, a key player in hosting sector-focused events, the association has found a way of blending its signature events with a touch of exhibition. The just-concluded 2025 AGM & Convention held at PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort in Mombasa brought this out perfectly.

Exhibition Booths at 2025 KATA AGM & Convention

Having a stand or an exhibition booth is one thing, but getting visitors is another. In travel exhibitions, motivations to visit a stand vary from acquiring information about a product to buy, fishing for special or discounted deals, being attracted by the booth’s aesthetic design, being familiar with the brand, or simply wanting to connect with the exhibitors.

Exhibition Booths at 2025 KATA AGM & Convention

As a sales promotion opportunity for exhibiting partners, KATA made an effort to ensure that at least 75% of the delegates at the 2025 KATA AGM & Convention visited the booths. The association designed a special card to be signed by exhibitors after a visit. Delegates then dropped the completed card into a raffle bowl to win special prizes. While there are obvious gaps in this strategy, it ensured that the booths did not remain empty.

Exhibition Booths at 2025 KATA AGM & Convention

Exhibitors included Sarova Hotels, Delta Airlines, Swift Response, Tbo.com, Triply.co, Sapphire Hotels, Telvoip, Vipingo Development, WebBeds, Kenya Airways, TAAG Angola Airlines, Visa, Jambojet, Skyward Airlines, Amadeus, Flightlink, The Route Stop, White Star Cruise & Travels, Nucore, The Tour Designers, Tengesi Collection, NBCAIG Insurance, and Mira Heights. They appreciated the forum as a well-curated space for direct engagement, lead generation, and brand exposure. With increasing specialization and targeted experiences, travel expos are fast emerging as the next big thing in tourism marketing.

By Felix Wakiuru

KATA Engages in Strategic Policy Dialogue and Product Development to Elevate Coast Tourism

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA), through its Coast Region Liaison, Mr. Patrick Maina Kamanga, participated in a high-level consultative meeting led by the Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, Hon. Rebecca Miano, EGH, and the CEO of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). Held at PrideInn Paradise Beach Resort, Convention and Spa in Mombasa, the meeting convened key stakeholders from across the tourism ecosystem to discuss Kenya’s strategic positioning in the regional Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) space.

The engagement provided a platform for tourism associations to receive critical updates on government strategies aimed at making Kenya a top-tier MICE destination in Africa. Representing the interests of travel agents and tour operators at the Coast, KATA tabled several priority issues geared toward revitalizing the region’s tourism economy.

Among the key recommendations presented by KATA were the urgent need to:

  • Improve air accessibility to Mombasa through increased flight frequencies and connections.
  • Establish a ring-fenced marketing budget dedicated to promoting the Kenya Coast, with implementation guided by a joint KATA-Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) committee.
  • Accelerate infrastructural improvements, including the expansion of the Malindi Airport runway and completion of major roadworks crucial for tourism logistics and accessibility.

Through sustained policy engagement and public-private sector collaboration, KATA continues to champion transformative investments and regulatory support that elevate Kenya’s global tourism competitiveness, particularly for the under-leveraged coastal belt.

Unlocking Coastal Opportunities: KATA Hosts Mnarani Club Familiarization Trip

As part of its commitment to equipping members with actionable market insights and strengthening supplier networks, KATA recently facilitated a familiarization trip to Mnarani Club & Spa. This hands-on excursion enabled members to conduct on-site inspections, evaluate product offerings, and explore new experiential travel opportunities along the Coast.

From engaging in in-depth property tours to networking over curated beachside barbeques, the trip allowed travel professionals to gather critical knowledge on the region’s hospitality infrastructure and its potential for bespoke travel packages.

Participants praised the initiative for providing not just a discovery platform but also business-to-business engagement opportunities essential for travel packaging, innovation, and customer satisfaction.

By curating immersive, experience-driven interactions, KATA reaffirmed its commitment to helping members diversify their offerings and respond proactively to evolving travel trends. These efforts underscore the association’s broader vision of catalysing innovation, knowledge-sharing, and growth within Kenya’s travel industry.

Upcoming Event: Inter-Regional Agriculture Symposium – Mombasa, 23–26 September 2025

KATA, in partnership with Lamp Serge Group – Botswana, will co-host the Inter-Regional Agriculture Symposium in Mombasa, bringing together 50 delegates from seven African countries. A special excursion day on 25th September will feature curated coastal tours, including city, marine, and dolphin experiences.