Tourism Stakeholders Call for Better Infrastructure to Boost Domestic Tourism

Stakeholders in the domestic tourism sub-sector have cited an improved infrastructure will boost domestic tourism in Kenya to achieve its full potential.

The stakeholders noted that Kenya’s domestic tourism needed more development and investment in infrastructure to open up areas for tourism.

Estelle Verdier, Jovago Managing Director East Africa, “Domestic tourism means being super flexible and highly personalised service for customers for the Kenyan economy, it will help much more in a sustainable way.”

She was speaking at the launch of the Jumia Travel Report on domestic tourism in Kenya that gives a first in depth analysis on key trends, as well as a panel discussion with players in the hotel sector done between 2015/2016.

According to the report, bookings and occupancy rates in Nairobi and Mombasa remain high at 30 percent and 29 and 27 percent respectively.

With devolution and increased urbanisation, with cities like Naivasha, Nanyuki, Nakuru and Kisumu has witnessed more travel. However, there are more bookings compared to rooms in percentage.

Cyrus Onyiego, the Country Manager for Jumia Travel cited lack of awareness and knowledge as a major challenge hampering growth in domestic tourism, “travel is still viewed as a luxurious affair, simply because the (consumer) has very little knowledge on the product.”

He called on stakeholders to come up with customized and personalized products for the market, keeping in mind the culture, lifestyle and budget needs for local travelers.

The report also indicated a rising need for hotel owners and tour operators to design products and packages for the emerging group of millennial travelers who may not be keen on luxury as compared to convenience, budget and flexibility.

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According to Eugene Too, the Online Revenue Manager for The Panari Hotel, the lower gap in the current millennial bracket is very clear on what they are looking for; fun and adventure. It is therefore important for providers to mark up their facilities if they want to capture this growing market. His comments were reiterated by Alfrida Boinett, the CEO – Private Collections, commenting that, “These groups of travelers are the future of the industry and therefore any brand keen on building loyalty must be ready to accommodate them and grow with them.”

Boinett, who runs among other properties Naivasha Kongoni Lodge, Poa Place in Eldoret and Swahili House in Mombasa also observed a new trend in family travel, “families want to travel as one, stay together and share experiences without unnecessary restrictions; this has brought about a new demand for self-catering cottages and family friendly packages.”

Rather than trying to replicate products for diverse users, both panelists urged hotel owners to adapt to changing needs and target to satisfy personal needs for their guests.

In the report, 51 percent of Travelers are family. While slightly more than half of local bookings on Jumia Travel consist of either nuclear or extended families on holiday, only 13 percent are made of friends travelling as a group.

Further, the report indicates that single or individual travelers are equally popular, while business travelers take up 23 percent of the total bookings.

Men are more popular e-travel consumers than women, with the ratio of male travelers almost doubling that of women at 64 percent as compared to women at 36 percent.

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