Short-notice bookings are disruptive and significantly impact revenue and operations because of heightened risks of cancellation or no-shows.
The shortened booking windows reduce visibility over future occupancy levels and make it more difficult for hotels to plan staffing, manage inventory, and forecast revenue with confidence.
Hoteliers are reporting growing uncertainty over forward bookings, noting that travellers are increasingly making reservations at much shorter notice amid growing competition from short-term rental stay providers such as Airbnb.
Latest Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) survey targeting chief executives and other senior officers of 357 private sector firms, including 96 hotels, found that whereas bookings were once secured well in advance, many leisure and business trips are now confirmed less than two weeks before arrival, with some events booked in under 10 days through online platforms.
