I can’t quite remember what it was that first got me to Jovango’s website; I believe it started with my friend and I ranting on about road trips and a spending a hotel night out somewhere. I remember how astonished I was when I saw how incredibly pocket friendly the prices generally were. There seemed to be accommodation that worked with most budgets. We actually spotted a hotel…motel…whatever it was, going for Kshs 999 a day in coast. We stared at each other, jokingly contemplating heading to the coast right away. Moral of the story is that, thanks to these online platforms, you don’t really need a whole chunk of money to travel throughout Kenya.
Jovango is now known as Jumia Travel. Jumia Travel is Africa’s No.1 hotel booking website, allowing you to get the best prices for more than 25,000 hotels in Africa and more than 200,000 hotels around the world. Their ambition is to bring every bit of available accommodation online, and to create the easiest and cheapest way for customers to book it.
In Kenya, domestic travel, with the help of travel agents, continues to grow. Considering this, I headed to the Jumia Travel (Jovago) Press Briefing, and where I learnt a few interesting facts;
Coast is the most traveled to destination in Kenya, not surprising considering that that’s most people’s go to every Christmas. Nairobi follows second, while Naivasha continues to slowly grow popularity as a holiday destination. Who are these domestic travellers? A majority are usually families, then business persons, followed by groups of friends and single travelers. Surprising, considering how many friends I know head out for road trips. Come to think of it however, I’ve covered several parts of the country with my parents more than I can count. Clearly, a majority of Kenyans appreciate family holidaying, more so than in Nigeria, where roughly 4% of families travel together domestically. Those most likely to travel fall between the ages of 25-40, as this group tends to have more disposable income to enjoy such activities. Also, more people prefer hotel booking using computers, with very few using their mobile devices.
So why book? Kenyans have a habit of simply arriving at a particular hotel at any given moment, and booking isn’t always seen as necessary, after all they’re looking for money, you’re looking for accommodation, why should they reject you, even if it’s on short notice? Truth is in most instances, they absolutely couldn’t refuse your stay. However, booking on Jumia Travel, opens you up to numerous affordable deals that fit with your level of spending. You can compare hotel rates and read reviews to get an idea of what you may be in for, and with several options you’re basically spoiled for choice. Does that make you a little more excited about getting to know your country better? In order to use Jumia Travel, simply sign up for an account on their platform here.