How digital marketing is redefining property market : The Standard

The advent and rapid growth of digital marketing in Kenya over the last fifteen years has meant a move beyond more than just a web presence. Instead, companies in both modern and traditional sectors are investing heavily on teams, processes and structures to help spur advances. The value of online marketing is now not one that can be understated-from entertainment to health, to banking, and to property. Ainsley Duncombe, CEO of African Resort International believes digital marketing has enabled his company to reach not only the local market but a wider international audience that includes Kenyans living abroad that would like to own their own slice of holiday membership in Kenya. However, each region comes with its own peculiarities, and as a foreigner now working within Kenya, Duncombe has had to adapt.

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“Based on my experience around the world, Kenyans are much more entrepreneurial than many other nationalities and also work harder in order to source value and get a good deal, so that has been an eye opener for me and we have had to lower our margins in order to push more volume to make things come together for a win-win situation,” says Duncombe. Duncombe did not have prior experience in the Kenyan market but had spent valuable time in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates before choosing to settle in Kenya. Although based in Nairobi, African Resort International has a beachfront resort operating in Watamu; an odd choice for an investor who may not have necessarily been conversant with the downturns that befell the coastal tourism industry in the wake of the 2007 post-election violence.

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He further says: “We feel that Kenya's have learned a lot from the past and things that happened previously that may have been negative for the country would not be repeated as the cost was too great for all. What we have seen is that around the world the coastal areas are proving to be the most popular but also limited in availability.” “With the fantastic climate around the coast combined with a greater coastal demand in the years to come both domestically & internationally, we believe the Kenyan coast is a safe bet for increased tourism.” His advice to those looking to invest in the property market is to look for value, but understand that cheap can sometimes be expensive in the long run and that more and more businesses are going to need to start adding a digital element to their marketing mix. “Based on how well Kenyans adapted to Mpesa, I’m confident that this will be an intuitive natural transition.”

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Ainsley DuncombeAfrican Resort InternationalDigital Marketing