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KTB recently partnered with the Standard Chartered Marathon as part of a larger campaign to re-position Kenya as the home of marathon running.
The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is seeking to harness the growing leisure running community in the vast US market that is currently estimated at 50 million runners, to drive tourism to Kenya by promoting it as an ideal destination for running vacations and races.
The strategic move is part of KTB's efforts to tap into the global running community and follows the country's continued dominance in major global marathons. This is evident by Ruth Chepngetich's glory in the Chicago Marathon on October 13 where she shattered the women's world record in 2:09:56 to break the previous mark by nearly two minutes.
According to KTB CEO June Chepkemei, the presence and success of elite Kenyan athletes in such prestigious marathons presents an opportunity to market the destination and drive sports tourism growth given the country's prowess on the global stage and the international exposure that Kenyan sports men and women have accorded the country over the years.
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12:24 - 14.10.2024
Standard Chartered Marathon partners with KTB to boost tourism ahead of 20th edition
The strategic collaboration will serve as a catalyst to draw marathon runners and fans to the marathon for the next three years
"Kenya has firmly established itself as an athletics powerhouse globally. Our marathoners and long-distance runners continue to conquer the world’s most prestigious marathons. We want to translate this prowess to building Kenya as a go-to destination for sports tourism, starting with running," said Chepkemei.
“The Chicago Marathon has provided us with a perfect platform to engage and inspire leisure runners to experience the thrill of running alongside our elite athletes through the 'Run with Kenyans' campaign which we are currently spearheading,” Chepkemei added.
KTB recently partnered with the Standard Chartered Marathon in a deal spanning the next three years as part of a larger campaign to re-position Kenya as the home of marathon running. The activities held prior to the marathon included consumer interactions at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo where KTB hosted a booth. Additionally, at least 250 attendees graced The Chicago Marathon Dinner, an event organized by KTB and a host of Kenyans in the Diaspora, to honor elite runners including those from Kenya and Ethiopia who participated in the marathon.
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05:45 - 14.10.2024
Ruth Chepngetich dedicates record-breaking Chicago Marathon victory to Kelvin Kiptum
Ruth Chepngetich has dedicated her record-breaking performance to Kelvin Kiptum after claiming her third Chicago Marathon victory in fine fashion.
The events were key in creating an association between Kenyan marathoners and Kenya as a diverse tourism destination, with the aim of driving more arrivals especially from the global running community led by the US.
“By tapping into the vast community of leisure runners in the US and beyond, we aim to drive signups to our locally hosted marathons so that they can take advantage of the world ‘Running with Kenyans’ alongside our champions and eventually become brand ambassadors of our country," explained Chepkemei.
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