Browsing: HotelOnline

• HotelOnline.co, has joined up with MTI Investment to launch a long-term booking platform for the island.
• Started with the intention of assisting travel agencies in making more informed booking decisions, the portal now serves as a definitive resource for those seeking out hotels on Zanzibar that are confirmed to employ environmentally responsible waste management systems.
• Sustainable tourism is beneficial to Zanzibar since it helps the local economy by providing jobs for the population.

A major player in the African online travel agency industry, HotelOnline.co, has joined up with MTI Investment to launch a long-term booking platform for the island. This website, known as Sustainable Zanzibar, is meant to encourage ecotourism by highlighting accommodations that are dedicated to green policies.

By becoming a member of Sustainable Zanzibar, hotels will be able to showcase their commitment to sustainability, receive praise for their efforts, and connect with a wide audience of booking agents …

An extended road trip, an excursion to the other side of town or going somewhere that is different from your daily life is ultimately one of the things many of us would like to experience. But the ideal Dream holiday vacation is different for each of us.

So what is your idea of recreation? Do you budget for what allows you to recharge? what exactly nourishes you? For some, it’s soaking up the sun by the water. For others, it’s a creative pursuit, exploring a new location, trying new cuisine or engaging in an adventure sport.

But in as much as many of us are knowledgeable about our potential destinations and activities- planning and saving towards this course in one way or the other is arguably a bit difficult, that’s why SaveApp group in partnership with Hotel Online has come to bridge this gap, to ease your planning headache , …

For many businesses, 2020 would be a year they would not want to remember. The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged most of businesses globally with reduced sales, low cash flow, and restrictions to tame the spread of the pandemic. The situation was worse in the travel and tourism industry.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization estimates that global international tourist arrivals have decreased by 58 percent to 78 percent in 2020, leading to a potential loss of US$0.9 to 1.2 trillion in international tourism receipts. In many of the world’s cities, planned travel went down by

80 to 90 percent. More than 2.5 million Kenyans working in the tourism sector lost their jobs in the first half of 2020 due to COVID-19 related disruptions, according to the government. The travel industry in Kenya, which was equally affected by the COVID-19 disruption, is positioning itself on the recovery path as the country registers …

Kenyan based travel-tech outfit HotelOnline has made a strategic acquisition of companies across Africa, positioning itself at the helm of the industry. While many companies in the travel industry have been facing a major dip due to COVID-19, HotelOnline has diversified and acquired other entities solidifying its position in the African travel industry. 

Run by two Norwegian-born Kenyans, Havar Bauck, and Endre Opdal, the company has announced the acquisition of AfricaBookings – a pioneer in the tech–enabled distribution of African hotels with an impressive inventory of 6000 hotels, and Cloud9 – a savvy travel and adventure app that has gained huge traction in Kenya. 

Since then, the HotelOnline platform which was born in 2015 out of Nairobi’s lack of affordable accommodation next to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport has grown to be a force to reckon within the hospitality industry. Since the first business in September 2014, to …

Kenyan perennial entrepreneur Havar Bauck, teaming with several of his investment partners, has ventured into the global multi-billion-dollar cloud kitchen by launching Foodledoodle, the first of such in East Africa, a move expected to change the food and hospitality industry in the region.

The cloud kitchen model of business in a concept that primarily offers a restaurant kitchen and accepts incoming orders only through online ordering systems and offers no dine-in facility.

Also known as dark kitchen, this model is primarily virtual and is reliant on food delivery apps, web portal orders and to generate sales. The global cloud kitchen market size was estimated at 0.65 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and is forecast to reach 2.63 billon U.S. dollars by 2026.

The cloud kitchen concept

The concept is gaining ground around the globe with established brands in Europe, US, India and some appearing in South Africa. Such leading brands …

How two Norwegians-turned Kenyans built a global traveltech success from five apartments in Syokimau

When Håvar Bauck landed in Kenya in 2002, the country was in chaos. The government of outgoing president Daniel Moi was preparing to exit the scene after 24 years in power. It was not clear who would become the next leader and despite great optimism of the future of the country, fear of instability was still evident.

“Kenya was experiencing a great moment of change. When Mwai Kibaki won the election, the country exploded in optimism. I was excited to see Kenya starting to realize its potential. The spirit of ‘yote yawezekana’ was contagious,” notes Bauck who was on a student exchange program through the Norwegian Peace Corps.

For Bauck, there began his great love for Kenya and an exciting journey for sixteen years that has pushed him to developing one of the biggest start-ups ever …