Novaplus Makes Waves Among Tourists and International Travellers This Festive Season

As Kenya’s festive travel season draws to a close, Novaplus, Kenya’s emerging e-commerce and digital discovery platform, is closing the year with strong performance indicators that highlight its growing relevance among tourists, diaspora visitors, and international travellers.

Launched in December 2024, Novaplus entered the market during one of the busiest travel periods of the year, a season that traditionally sees travel activity rise by 30–40%. Over the course of the holidays, the platform played a critical role in helping visitors confidently discover verified accommodation, transport, dining, shopping, and lifestyle experiences across the country.

According to internal platform insights, Novaplus recorded a 45% surge in tourist and international traveller searches throughout the festive period, with accommodation, mobility, dining, and events emerging as the most engaged categories. Notably, international users and diaspora travellers accounted for approximately 35% of total platform traffic, reinforcing the platform’s growing role in pre-arrival planning and in-destination discovery.

As digital fraud and online safety continue to influence consumer behaviour, Novaplus’s emphasis on trust and verification proved especially impactful during the high-traffic season. With over 62% of Kenyan online users citing fraud concerns as a major barrier to completing online transactions, and recent research showing that 82% of Kenyans were targeted by digital scams in 2024, travellers increasingly gravitated toward platforms offering credibility and protection.

Against this backdrop, Novaplus distinguished itself by maintaining a strict business verification framework, ensuring that every onboarded business met clear identity and credibility standards. This approach significantly reduced risk for travellers navigating accommodation, mobility, and lifestyle services sectors often targeted by fraudulent listings during peak travel periods.

Throughout the holidays, Novaplus hosted and promoted hundreds of verified businesses, ranging from internationally recognised brands such as Bolt, Mövenpick Hotels & Residences, Pax Manor, Best Western Plus, and Hyatt Regency, to trusted local enterprises and destination hubs like Prestige Plaza. Listings featuring globally recognised brands recorded up to 50% higher engagement, while verified local businesses experienced a 30% increase in visibility and customer inquiries, demonstrating tangible commercial impact.

“Festive travel puts trust to the test,” said Bashir Mohammed, CEO of Novaplus. “As the season comes to an end, what stands out for us is how strongly travellers responded to a platform built on verification and reliability. People want peace of mind especially when navigating a new destination and Novaplus proved that secure digital discovery is no longer optional; it’s essential.”

Industry trends show that over 70% of travellers research accommodation and transport online before travelling, a behaviour that was clearly reflected in Novaplus’s usage patterns during the holidays. By offering a single, trusted environment that blends global brands with high-quality local businesses, the platform contributed to smoother travel experiences while supporting businesses during one of the most competitive periods of the year.

Verified businesses on Novaplus benefited from up to 40% higher discovery rates during the festive peak, strengthening their competitiveness and visibility at a time when traveller attention is most concentrated. This impact reinforces Novaplus’s role not just as a discovery platform, but as a growth partner for Kenya’s tourism, hospitality, and lifestyle ecosystem.

As the festive season concludes, Novaplus enters the new year with strong momentum, valuable insights, and a proven model for secure digital discovery. The platform’s performance over the holidays underscores its growing influence in shaping smarter travel decisions, enhancing visitor confidence, and setting a higher standard for trust within Kenya’s evolving e-commerce and tourism landscape.