Lillian Gaitho has earned a firm place on my blog and week in week out finds topics which raise the interest
of readers and add value for them.
Here is her latest contribution, she is taking a good hard
look at the travel habits of Kenyans, and an interesting
read that makes!
Kenyan Travel Habits: Info graphics
Travel and tourism is the major source of foreign exchange in Kenya, as well as a major contributor to the national GDP. Although hampered by numerous challenges, tourism still remains at the forefront of the economy. With such an important role on the national plate, it’s only prudent for both government and private stakeholders to keep abreast with global developments in the industry. One of the major fronts include tapping into e-tourism, moving away from the traditional tourism trends to the steadily rising world of savvy travelers. Local companies like Jovago.com are actively re-joining this call through ensuring that even the most remotely located hotel can be accessed online, therefore boosting its global presence and leveraging on online marketing. Here is an info graphic indicating Kenyan online travel habits based on bookings made on www.jovago.com.
Room Rates
Across the country and the continent as well, costs of hotels vary depending on the type of rooms and services that accompany them. The survey carried through January to April reveals the most expensive room booked within this period at KShs 328,850 while the least expensive went at $9 only!
Preferred Payment Methods
The advent and globally-enviable growth of mobile payments in Kenya is well illustrated in the payment trends of guests who book accommodation via www.jovago.com. Data recorded shows that 60% of guests prefer to wrap up the transaction via mobile or card payments, while the remaining 40% opt to pay on arrival.
Length of Stay
The average guest will usually take two days/nights in a hotel; this in most cases are either on business trips or a quick-fix long weekend for most working middle class. We however notice that the trend greatly changes with the purpose of travel. Vacations are generally longer, with the longest stay going for 30 days.
Preferred Booking Durations
With an emerging middle class popular for hitting the ground running, it’s no mean task to have a 63% of our traveler’s population booking consistently booking in advance of about seven days to check in date. However, the spontaneous streak is still very live, with a notable 27% placing bookings just hours to check in. A small but extremely cautious fraction of guests (6%) do book more
Room Type Preference
Most guests prefer booking into a double room, which will mostly accommodate couples. Solo travelers on the other side will prefer single rooms-with most guests likely to be on business trips. Most of the other rooms (4%) are favorable for family stays as, upon requests may even have space for extra beds or cots.
