The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is to aggressively promote Mount Kenya in overseas markets in a bid to attract more international tourists to the country.

It is the second tallest mountain in Africa after Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, but, until now, its attractions have been overshadowed by Kenya’s premier products.

The country’s marketing campaigns have always mainly focused on the alluring white-sand beaches and wildlife hotspots such the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Amboseli National Park, Lake Nakuru National Park, and Tsavo East and West National Parks.

Mount Kenya has the potential to woo more international holidaymakers, including mountain climbers, as it is part of the Mount Kenya National Park.

An area of 715 square kilometres around the mountain was designated a national park and was listed a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1997.

KTB Chairman, Jimi Kariuki, said the marketing agency would prioritise promoting Mount Kenya in key markets such as the US, the UK, France and Italy to attract more mountain climbers. “The mountain can also attract wildlife enthusiasts and bird lovers. The country has unexploited attractions such as the World War 1 battlefields in Taita Taveta, diverse cultures, lakes, rivers and forests.”

Recently, the Kenya Tourism Board indicated that tourist numbers in Kenya might hit 1.5 million by the end of this year. Last year, the country received 1.3 million tourists – 877,000 arrivals from overseas and the rest were cross-border visitors.