Travel/Tourism
Knowing Where Travellers Come From is Key to Meeting Their Wants and Needs
By Rachel Irvine
We live in an age of hyper-personalisation. Every ad you see online, every show you watch, and every book you read is recommended to you based on your tastes and preferences (however badly some companies may do it). The travel industry is no different. No destination or accommodation provider can cater to every single person’s travel desires.
It’s therefore critical that they know who they’re likely to appeal to and market themselves accordingly. A good starting point when it comes to doing so is identifying which countries make up the majority of guests and visitors. That’s because, while there’s obviously variation within countries, it is possible to pick up broad preferences and drill down to more individualised preferences from there.
Doing so not only means that players in the travel and hospitality sector are better placed to understand why they’re hitting the mark with citizens from certain countries, but also that they can ensure they’re targeting the right people with the right message at the right time.
Understanding country preferences
But what do these preferences look like? McKinsey’s The state of travel and hospitality 2024 report provides some useful insights. The report, which reveals that the travel industry is on track for full recovery by the end of 2024 and that luxury travel is the fastest-growing segment, also provides some interesting insights into what people from different countries are looking for in their travel experiences.
Sixty-nine per cent of Chinese tourists, for example, said they plan to visit a famous sight on their next trip, versus the 20% of European and North American travellers who said the same. Respondents living in the UAE, meanwhile, also favour iconic destinations as well as shopping and outdoor activities.
In other words, city hotels might have an easier time attracting Chinese tourists if they’re close to a famous landmark, while somewhere that bills itself as a quiet retreat or which is centred around interesting food experiences may find it easier to attract European and North American tourists.
Attracting German and UK visitors
Those are all important markets for the African travel sector, as are Germany and the UK. According to a report from SA Tourism, outbound travel to sub-Saharan Africa from Germany is growing by 21.2% annually. And in the first quarter of 2024, 125 420 UK tourists visited South Africa alone, a 5.3% increase on 2023. In Kenya, the UK and Germany were fourth and sixth in terms of 2023 tourist arrivals to the country, growing by 19% and 46% respectively. It’s therefore especially critical to know what the preferences for these markets are too.
According to the McKinsey survey, both Germans (45%) and UK citizens (38%) place importance on “getting away from it all”. Both also like beach getaways, expressing “soaking in the sun” at twice the rate of American respondents as the main reason they travel.
A study from TGM Research, meanwhile, found that the top three needs for German tourists are quality and comfort, security, and competitive prices. Their favoured activities are beach and leisure, cultural and gastronomic, and shopping. While UK residents have the same top three needs, they’re more security conscious than Germans. They’re also more invested in beach and leisure activities than their German counterparts.
Another growing travel trend is sustainability. According to a 2022 report carried out by Opinium on behalf of the Spanish Tourist Office, 86% of UK tourists value sustainability as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’ when selecting a holiday destination. A 2023 study by Germany’s Environmental Protection Agency (UBA), meanwhile found that “61% of the population have a positive attitude towards sustainable holiday travel.” This shows that destinations and providers targeting these markets can gain mileage by punting their green credentials, but only if they’re actually earned.
Interestingly, neither value traditional hospitality marketing initiatives such as loyalty programmes and hotel branding as much as visitors from China, the UAE, and North America. Make no mistake, there’s still value in such programmes but it does show that there’s room for innovation in these markets, particularly in the luxury segment.
The right marketing partner
Of course, knowing what a country’s preferences are and marketing to those preferences are two different things. It’s therefore critical to choose marketing partners that don’t just know how to market effectively according to specific insights but also have deep knowledge and understanding of the markets you’re trying to reach.
That’s important for a few reasons. The first is that they can ensure that your messaging will actually land in those markets. They understand what tone and language to use and also which platforms to target with that messaging. Perhaps most importantly, however, they can take the insights around a particular market and drill deeper into it, providing additional levels of personalisation.
Positioned for growth
Ultimately, even as travel numbers to Africa from the UK, Germany, and other markets keep growing, players across the hospitality sector must remember that success isn’t guaranteed. That means understanding their customers as deeply as possible and working with experienced marketing and communications partners who can turn those insights into results.
Rachel Irvine is the CEO of Irvine Partners
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 14.12 per cent stake in Ikeja Hotel Plc has been acquired by Honeywell Group Limited, a notice on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited has revealed.
Honeywell Group took up the part of the hospitality firm through one of its affiliates known as HGL Real Estate Limited.
Ikeja Hotel, in the disclosure filed with the NGX on July 2, 2026, said the stake comprised 305,323,525 units of its equities.
“Ikeja Hotel hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited and the general public that it has received notification from HGL Real Estate Limited, an affiliate of Honeywell Group Limited, that it has acquired 305,323,525 units of Ikeja Hotel Plc’s shares, representing 14.12 per cent shareholding in the company,” the notice stated.
Ikeja Hotel is one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality investment and hotel management companies with premium hospitality assets.
It operates two leading hospitality organisations in Lagos, the Sheraton Lagos Hotel and Balmoral Convention Centre.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
About 10 hospitality establishments, including hotels and restaurants, were sealed on Wednesday by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The affected businesses are located in different locations in the Alimosho Local Government Area of the metropolis, Business Post learned from a statement from the agency.
It was stated that they were sealed by LASEPA for persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and several opportunities to comply with the agency’s directives.
According to the notice, the enforcement exercise was carried out in line with the directives of the Lagos State government to ensure strict compliance with environmental laws and to safeguard public health.
The affected facilities were said to have breached various environmental regulations, including noise pollution, air pollution, unlawful discharge of untreated effluent, obstruction of official duties, among others.
LASEPA closed the premises of Granduer Meridian at Obasa Akiniyi Street, Oluwaga, Ipaja for non-compliance with the agency’s directives; Lasola (Spazio Bar), located on Ipaja Road, Fatolu Bus Stop, Ipaja, was sealed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives; Millennium Restaurant, located at Gate Bus Stop, Ipaja, Ayobo, was shut down for non-compliance with directives; O2 Exquisite Suites & Tower on Jimoh Akinremi Street, Jimoh Bus Stop, Akowonjo, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; and Chirozz Hotel & Suites, located on Samuel Street, Akowonjo, by Vulcanizer Bus Stop, Egbeda, was closed for noise pollution and non-compliance with directives.
In addition, House 7 Hotel, located at Remi Akande Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with LASEPA’s directives; House 48 on Isiba Oluwo Street, Egbeda, was sealed for non-compliance with directives; Exclusive Hotel, located at Ishan Kimishe, Akesan Bus Stop, was shut down by non-compliance with directives; Sabola Ventures Limited, Iocated at Km 11, LASU–Isheri Road, Igando, was shut down for operating without evidence of an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), and discharging untreated effluent into public drains; and City Int’l Motel, located at Chief Olu-Adegbite Street, off Oladun Street, Council Bus Stop, Idimu, was sealed for non-compliance with directives.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Emirates has become the first airline cargo carrier to deploy the Boeing 777-300ERSF passenger-to-freighter converted aircraft.
The aircraft (A6-EBK) will enter commercial service with a flight from Hong Kong to Dubai carrying over 100 tonnes of cargo, a statement from the airline operator stated.
The converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF offers 100 tonnes of payload capacity and 811 m³ of cargo volume, representing a 25 per cent increase in cargo volume over the Boeing 777-F production freighter.
At 47 pallet positions, the converted aircraft also accommodates 10 additional pallet positions when compared with the Boeing 777-F production freighter, making it ideal for transporting volumetric cargo such as e-commerce goods, which currently constitute around 20 per cent of global air cargo tonnage with further growth projected in the next few years.
The converted Boeing 777-300ERSF is the sixth new freighter, following five Boeing 777-F production freighters, to join Emirates SkyCargo’s fleet since March 2026.
As part of its ambitious expansion strategy, Emirates SkyCargo will also be taking delivery of five additional Boeing 777-F aircraft as well as one additional converted Boeing 777-300ERSF by December 2026.
Emirates SkyCargo will also be introducing three additional converted Boeing 777-ERSFs into its fleet in 2027.
“The induction of the first converted Emirates Boeing 777-300ERSF into operational service represents the next step in the expansion of our fleet and operational agility.
“We are optimising our fleet assets by converting older Boeing 777-300ER passenger aircraft to meet the growing demand for air cargo capacity to transport goods rapidly across the world,” Emirates SkyCargo’s Divisional Senior Vice President, Badr Abbas, commented.
“Combined with our growing fleet of Boeing 777-F production freighters, we have already been able to scale our global freighter network from just over 40 destinations in February this year to 62 destinations currently and growing.
“We are providing our global customers with scalable cargo capacity and ultimate flexibility and connectivity when moving cargo to and through our hub in Dubai,” Abbas added.
