You’ll agree with me that if there is one thing the Internet and particularly Google ought to have killed long before yesterday is Yellow Pages, but Yellow Pages Kenya still exists for two reasons: 1. Many small and medium sized companies in Kenya still do to not have proper web presence and 2. Some Kenyans still do not know how to use Google to obtain contacts of companies online.
Even though Yellow Pages Kenya still exists, its core business model of listing company contacts in Yellow Pages of Post Office Directories is diminishing. To show progress, Yellow Pages went to the world wide web to replicate their services through an online directory service, but even there they are unable to get as many customers as they wished as more and more Kenyans are relying on Google to obtain any contact information of companies they wish to contact. These factors have forced Yellow Pages to be innovative and diverse in business operations, and starting last Friday, Yellow Pages Kenya launched a tourism website on which they intend to tell tourists everything important about the tourism industry in the country.
According to a Press Statement sent to Kachwanya.com, Yellow Pages Kenya the travel website aim at improving the tourism experience in Kenya by offering a dynamic platform which has fresh content and a user-friendly interface that will encourage users to find relevant information to their travel in Kenya.
Speaking during the launch, Yellow Pages Kenya Managing Director Mr. Pedro Gomes said the website will provide detailed information and guide travelers on the main cities and towns in Kenya offer details on how to get amenities within these towns.
“This website is mobile-enabled and will help travelers find out how to get to a particular place in Kenya, get around our towns and cities, discover tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels and key contacts of social amenities,” said Mr. Gomes.
He explained: “The reason for the re-launch is to assist the local tourist experience the true beauty of our country Kenya.”
The website is now live and will take visitors on an exciting journey to all untapped epic places, most popular, most visited and talked about areas in the country. The website also includes information on all holiday destinations within the main tourism circuit and will be constantly be updated with information to enhance accuracy at all times.
“You will find a brief insight of a place, how to get there, where to eat and where to stay,” explained Mr. Gomes.
Other elements such as ratings and feedback of each of these places have been made available on the portal to allow visitors to provide feedback and rate the facilities they have visited.
“We have partnered with tripadvisor and visitors to the website will be able to give feedback and rate their experience,” he said.
The launch of website comes in the wake of a struggling tourism industry, which has been adversely affected by the rising terrorism cases that have seen traditional source markets issue travel advisories to Kenya. The website will provide the much needed support to the industry and inspire collaboration among key stakeholders including the Kenya Tourism Board and the Kenya Wildlife Service.
