The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) in partnership with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Go Places and E-Gift Africa has today launched the first Magical Kenya Prepaid Travel Card.
The Magical Kenya Prepaid Travel Card is a culmination of the partnership between KTB and UBA to promote travel to Kenya by travelers across the African continent. The card, which is designed with an embedded loyalty platform, will allow accumulation and transfer of points within the hospitality sector and encourage tourists to travel freely.
“The Magical Kenya prepaid Travel card is the first of its kind owing to the fact that it is the first destination card that UBA Bank has launched with a destination. Additionally, the Magical Kenya Prepaid Travel Card will be available to International and domestic travelers in Kenya. This will enable all users, whether customers of UBA or not – to have unparalleled access to its built-in benefits available across all platforms. This will further enhance the Magical Kenya’s footprint on the continent,” KTBoard Chair, Jimi Kariuki said during the launch held at The Intercontinental Hotel, Nairobi.
The Magical Kenya Prepaid Travel Card will target West African nationals who travel for corporate, education, medical as well as leisure purposes within Africa and will be distributed across the UBA Bank’s footprint to customers and potential customers. This translates to an untapped market of over 5 Million card users in Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal.
“Tourism activity in the modern age is increasingly being shaped by price comparison and technology as new applications for mobiles – that offer a wide range of opportunities that are being developed and social networks are consolidating themselves within a more transparent market,” United Bank for Africa Executive Director, Wholesale Banking, Mr. Vincent Lubia said.
Through selective criteria of age, deposit balance, number of types of accounts held by customer or corporate accounts the target list of customers will be engaged and enticed through registration campaigns as well as convenience for everyday use both in home market and when travelling to Kenya. This will create an appeal for the card as well as the realization, eventually that this may be the only card needed in the wallet.
“The West African market is potential to us and this is the beginning of our efforts to tap into the market that has high spenders with willingness to spend. The card avails to current and potential travellers exciting a value adds in terms of bonus points, discounts or gift,” Mr Kariuki added.
