One of the unique events that Kenya has hosted over the years is back on our calendars again. The Mararal Camel Derby going through the sunny and sandy parts of Northern Kenya from 24th- 26th of August.With discovery of oil deposits and the division of the country into counties, the Northern part of Kenya has suddenly been thrown into the spotlight both locally and internationally.
Mararal Camel Derby - image from ElizabethFairfield.Wordpress.com
The Camel Derby has always attracted many riders from across the world from as far as Australia and countries in the Middle East to South Africa, Mexico and China which have camels too. There is also the locals looking out for a fun event and also a way of interacting with the visitors. It has also attracted Kenya's Tourism Board which also gave a sponsorship cheque - a good step forward.
It is a great way of improving Kenya's sports offering and sports tourism is still one area that has not been fully exploited. Concerned authorities need to engage more with sports federations and sports stakeholders in exploring such events which are a major milestone in the country's sporting calendar. It will also be interesting to see how the new look county governors will seek to invest or re-invest in making the Derby and such other events benefit the locals and reach out to attract more visitors.
For that weekend outing out of town and not your usual event, pack your bags and buckle up for the ride on the desert ship. More details on Mararal Camel Derby here and here
This year's Nairobi International marathon is on the 31st of October once again snaking its way into Nairobi City roads ( though the route has slight changes as the run takes runners into some major roads).
As the launch was made, it was suggested that the sponsors and organisers look into inviting elite athletes by paying appearance fees. That's a great way of raising the event's spotlight but a lot needs to be done to ensure the local populace and marathon-running citizens continue flocking the event.
Henry Wanyoike (Courtesy of Henry Wanyoike Foundation)
Marking its 8th anniversary, the organisers have a huge task of raising the more than KShs. 20 million ( approx. US$ 250,000) that usually goes the Seeing is Believing Initiative which seeks to eradicate and avoid blindness of children under the age of 9. One of their biggest scoop has been Henry Wanyoike - Kenya's most famous blind athlete to date who even featured in their latest ad (as Standard Chartered marks its 100th year of business in Kenya).
The organisers have raised their target to 16,000 which is a task given last year's drop to just below 15,000 runners - as is usually the case, Kenyans and their last-minute habits of beating deadlines. Brand Kenya and Kenya Tourism Board have also been challenged to sell the country as a sports tourism destination(check this from World Sport Destination Expo too) and hope to reap from the foreign visitors visiting the country. Average figures from other major cities are usually in excess of 40-50,000 runners and even more peripheral ones in tow.
Organisers also hope to attract media attention and secure rights to screen the run as they did last year on SuperSports. We shall be bringing you updates and again capture moments as they happen on the day. You can register for the marathon here. The fees are KShs. 1000 for individuals, 500-kids and 50,000 for corporate teams.
Over the last few months, Brand Kenya & Kenya Tourism Board has made some efforts in trying to promote the country as an ideal destination for tourists from Europe and other continents.
I've even seen a flash ad on the BBC Website as well as the Magical Kenya one which even appeared on CNN which some critiques have commented on. While all this is well-intentioned and may serve a certain number of interested parties, I'd wish to refer them to a survey they did some few days ago saying Kenyan athletes are the best for our country's image ? Well RIGHT THERE ! You have your answer ! Why can't those who seek to promote the country think of selling our country during the major races in the cities of Madrid, Paris, London and Boston? They can sponsor a section of the race or put a 25-30 sec ad during the race (most of which are covered live across major TV channels and other terrestrial networks). Even better they can have the respective ambassadorial and diplomatic offices seek some placement before or after the race to sell some of their agenda or brand the events - sports branding. How ideal it would be since you are almost always assured that a Kenyan will win the race or be among the top 3. When our brothers placed 2nd-5th on this year's Paris Marathon, our own ambassador Elkanah Odembo was among the fans cheering and was emblazoned in Kenyan colours and had also handed out Kenyan flag-lets to Kenyans and fans along the way. It was a joy watching the cameras capture our few minutes of glory. What more, what happens when our boys are playing in the IRB circuit across the world? Hey maybe they have not thought of it that way but you'll have more than enough to do and the savings from having to send all the entourages across the globe. Wishful thinking ???
