Visitors from West Africa have emerged as the highest-spending tourists on accommodation in Kenya, outperforming travellers from traditionally lucrative Western markets such as the United Kingdom (UK), Canada, and the United States.
According to data compiled from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics tourism surveys and reported by The Business Daily, West African visitors lead the pack with an average daily accommodation spend of Sh10 410 ($80).
The figures highlight a notable shift in tourism demographics, with continental travellers making a significantly larger financial footprint per day on lodging than many of their international counterparts.
North African travellers followed closely behind at Sh8 600 ($66) per day, while visitors grouped under East and Central Africa averaged Sh8 500 ($65). Middle Eastern and Japanese tourists tied for fourth place, each shelling out an average of Sh8 200 ($63) daily for a place to stay.
European and North American markets recorded surprisingly lower daily accommodation expenditures. French and Swiss tourists averaged Sh7 800 ($60) per day, followed by India at Sh7 100 ($55) and other Asian markets at Sh4 100 ($32).
Meanwhile, travellers from the UK averaged a modest Sh1 700 ($13) daily, with Canada and Australia recording Sh1 300 ($10) each, and other American markets rounding out the lower end at Sh1 200 ($9).
Industry analysts point out that these metrics offer critical insights for hospitality providers and policymakers aiming to realign marketing strategies towards high-yield tourism markets across the continent.
–ChannelAfrica–
