The majority of Kenyans would opt for a travel destination with good food, the latest survey on consumer perceptions shows.
The ‘Covid Safety Influences Choice of Travel Destination in Post-pandemic Era’ survey shows a destination with good food would be the best for 85 per cent of Kenyan travellers.
The survey shows the Covid-19 pandemic has had and continues to have an impact on the travel industry in sub-Saharan Africa.
The report survey conducted on consumer perceptions and behaviour towards brands has shown that the pandemic has continued to affect the tourists’ choice of their next vacation.
The survey was conducted by African Communications Media Group (ACG) and MARCO, the Madrid-based global communications agency in the last quarter of 2022 and it covers Kenya, South Africa, and Ivory Coast.
“A significant number of tourists are avoiding destinations with more confirmed cases of Covid-19 relative to their places of origin and are embracing domestic tourism,” MARCO founder and CEO Didier Lagae said.
The survey found that even in the post-pandemic world, Covid safety remains a key determinant of the choice of destination, with 69 per cent of male and 74 per cent of female respondents considering it the most important factor.
This cuts across all age brackets and income groups.
“However, country comparisons show that both Kenya and South Africa (77 per cent each) consider Covid safety a top priority compared to Ivory Coast (31 per cent),” the survey shows.
According to the survey, sustainability is increasingly becoming an important factor to consider when choosing a destination across all age groups and income groups.
Across Kenya, South Africa and the Ivory Coast, 76 per cent of the male and 71 per cent of female respondents preferred sustainable destinations, the survey shows.
Sustainability also remains a key priority factor among the various income brackets, with those in the high-income bracket leading at 69 per cent, followed by those in the medium-income bracket at 67 per cent, and those in the low-income bracket at 60 per cent.
A comparative analysis shows Kenya and South Africa leading at 85 per cent and Ivory Coast trailing at 37 per cent.
“Tourists increasingly favour destinations that adopt more sustainable practices,” CEO ACG Linda Weaver said.
“The findings on how tourists select their holiday destinations, along with the factors determining their choices, are very important for policy making and marketing promotion in the tourism industry,” Weaver added.
According to the survey, most travellers prefer new destinations, with 74 per cent of the male and female respondents considering new destinations when making their choices.
However, the preference for new destinations declines with old age, with 74 per cent in the 18 to 25 age bracket, 73 per cent in the 26 to 40 age bracket, and only 35 per cent in the 40 to 65 age bracket giving preference to new destinations.
“Kenyans lead in terms of preference for new destinations at 79 per cent, followed by South Africans at 73 per cent and Ivorians at 69 per cent.
Sixty-five per cent of Kenyan travellers would opt for a destination with a sporting event according to the survey.
Source: the star