Mastercard inks a deal with KTB to drive Tourism growth

Global technology company,Mastercard, has signed a three-year partnership with the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) which seeks to drive the growth of tourism numbers in Kenya by leveraging various Mastercard channels, including its Priceless.com platform.

The collaboration which is the first-of-its-kind for Mastercard in Africa will enable KTB to plan, execute and improve its campaign reports through increasing transparency on tourism trends, anonymized traveler profiles, and economic impact through Mastercard’s Data Insights capabilities.

Under the partnership, Mastercard will explore a loyalty and rewards program to boost tourism and enhance the impact of destination marketing efforts, including campaign planning and execution.

Further, the MoU brings to access to information about Kenya that can enhance experiences during trips for Mastercard holders.

Mastercard and KTB also plan to enhance the proposition by including bespoke travel packages including bush, city, and beach experiences on the Priceless.com platform as well as brand campaigns to complement the tourism recovery efforts.

“Tourism is a critical sector for driving employment in any country. At Mastercard, we’re committed to helping countries come out of this pandemic with stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive economic growth, including in the tourism sector.  We look forward to bringing our insights and assets to the table to help Kenya and its spectacular tourism industry recover from the COVID-19 lockdowns and associated travel restrictions,” says Michael Froman, Vice Chairman and President, Strategic Growth, Mastercard.

Kenya Tourism Board CEO Betty Radier said: “The MoU with Mastercard aligns with KTB’s strategy of expanding our partner ecosystem to strengthen the sector and deliver on the goal of bouncing back fully to pre-2019 levels within the next 2 years. To do this we are focusing on several avenues to grow tourism revenues, including both international and domestic tourism, the use of digital marketing, and the creation of new and engaging travel experiences. By combining Mastercard’s resources and experience as a leading international payment technology company with our tourism resources, I am confident the initiatives set out in this MoU will benefit the sector,” Radier says.