This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
On July 9, 2020, Kenya's Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife launched a digital marketing programme in partnership with Facebook to support small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in the tourism and hospitality sector affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The programme, dubbed 'Boost with Facebook for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife', aims to help thousands of tourism stakeholders use the Facebook family of apps (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp) to boost their businesses' marketing efforts during these uncertain times.
Speaking during the launch, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Hon. Najib Balala emphasized the importance of equipping tourism stakeholders and SMBs with digital marketing skills to quickly recover from losses incurred due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Through the programme, participants will learn how to identify business constraints caused by COVID-19, manage stranded assets, and develop new strategies and business initiatives to survive the pandemic.
Facebook's Head of Public Policy East & Horn of Africa, Mercy Ndegwa, commented on the launch, stating, “We are excited about the launch of Boost with Facebook for the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. At Facebook, we know that small and medium businesses in Kenya may be experiencing unexpected challenges during the outbreak of COVID-19 and we’re committed to providing as much support as possible.”
