Jumia Travel has announced the opening of local agency outlets in Kenya in response to a market segment that is yet to adapt to the growing online trend.
According to a statement, the offline presence is expected to lead the largely web-based company in gaining a greater share of the local market, which is still dependent on conventional brick and mortar business.
The statement adds that the move comes at a time when domestic travel continues to maintain a positive growth trajectory of 14.6% in 2016 amounting to 3.6 million bed nights as compared to 3.1 million bed nights in 2015.
Similarly, a 2016 report by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) indicated that domestic spending in travel services stood at 59% against foreign visitor spending, which stood at 41%. Domestic travel therefore remains one of the fastest growing sectors in the tourism industry.
“Jumia Travel’s offline presence is meant to appeal to the traveler still wary or not conversant with the internet of things,” the travel agency said in the statement.
“As much as we celebrate the remarkable growth of the online marketplace, we must not forget the segment of customers who do not have this knowledge and skills, those who do not have adequate access to broadband and those who simply prefer more human interaction,” explained Jumia Travel Country Manager for Kenya, Cyrus Onyiego.
Jumia Travel has now acquired spaces in Nairobi while plans to expand to other locations as well as in other counties are underway.