Photobook, tree planting project aims to turn tourists into Kenya ambassadors

Every year, over two million visitors set foot in Kenya, drawn by its breathtaking vistas, vibrant local culture, and unparalleled natural beauty.

But what if each of those visitors left the country with more than the safari memories?

What if they took our own narrative about Kenya back home and became our advocates and lifelong ambassadors for the country?

These are the scenarios that Anuj Kent, founder of Perfect Pics, hopes to drive in a world where destinations compete for attention in the busy digital world.

"Many of the tourists choose the destination based on the narrative sold by a travel agency abroad, and that is fine. But we can also control the narrative since we are living this experience here," says Kent.

First, through his Safari Photobook initiative, Kent hopes to turn travel memories into living narratives in which guests to Kenya have their experiences etched in a handbook that these tourists can use to hook other prospective visitors from their home countries.

Second, for each tourist story created, Kent and his team will plant four to five trees that will be geo-tagged so that the guest can follow up and monitor the growth for years to come.

Already, over 500 trees have been planted, mainly in Maanzoni Ranch, with plans to extend to other forests in the country in collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service and the Kenya Tourism Board.

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By blending such experiential tourism experiences with environmental sustainability, Kent ensures every journey a tourist makes to the country leaves both a personal and ecological footprint and reshapes how Kenya is remembered and her story retold across the globe.

While the country's wildlife and beaches continue to act as catalysts that draw tourists to Kenya, Kent says the modern traveller is becoming more aware of leaving a lasting impact on the destination by integrating with the local community and joining in social activities that create lasting bonds with the hosts.

"Historically, Kenya's story has often been shaped by outsiders," Kent says. "We have an opportunity to change that since the Kenyan tourism experience is naturally a story worth sharing. By becoming the narrators of those experiences, we can help ensure the stories shared with the world reflect the very best of Kenya, and that is a powerful place to be."

The personalised storytelling will rely heavily on the guests' itineraries crafted by various hospitality outlets hosting the visitors while local tour drivers and guides capture the safari moments that immortalise their experiences. At the end of the trip, visitors receive a photobook of their journey in Kenya with little or no effort on their part.

"By turning those experiences into personal stories, we create memories that continue shaping perceptions of Kenya long after the journey ends. Drivers and guides, who are the first and last points of contact for these guests, become part of the story since most of what the guests see, hear and feel depends on these heroes of the industry," says Kent.

Kenya, according to Kent, already gives visitors extraordinary moments, many of which remain locked away in phone galleries and sometimes deleted to create more space in the gadgets. While the guests will show some of these photos to their families and friends back home or post others on social media, he says word-of-mouth marketing by the guests can prove to be far more powerful than traditional advertising, and "if only we help shape the story being shared, that visitor can become a long-term ambassador for Kenya."

Such connections, he adds, speak louder to would-be visitors than traditional advertising methods that only tell people what a destination wants them to believe.

"Authentic experiences are more powerful because they show what visitors genuinely felt during their time in Kenya. What would you trust more, a restaurant advert or a friend's recommendation?" he asks.

Kent believes that turning such guests into Kenya's greatest assets will create the emotional resonance the local travel industry requires at a time when competition for tourist numbers rages within regional players.

In 2025, Kenya recorded about 7.9 million tourists, including 2.7 million international arrivals, up from 2024.

The country now aims to attract a share of the 1.5 billion global travellers through experiential tourism that strengthens visitor connection.

A key focus is sustainability, including tree-planting initiatives that link tourists to Kenya long after their visit.

From their homes, the tourists will receive periodic updates on the trees and create a cycle of advocacy, storytelling and environmental impacts.

"Today's travellers are looking for real connections with the places they visit, and Kenya naturally offers that. One of Kenya's biggest challenges abroad is perception, and perception is rarely changed through digital advertising alone. It is changed through real human stories," Kent says.

Visitors are already reacting emotionally to surprise photobooks of their trips, with some moved to tears.

"Handing someone a photobook of their holiday creates a strong emotional connection," Kent says.

He adds that beyond emotion, referrals and shared experiences are key, alongside tree-planting efforts that support Kenya's sustainability goals.

He concludes that Kenya's biggest tourism asset may ultimately be its visitors' voices and how the country makes them feel.