With the new year upon us, life is slipping back into its familiar rhythm. The capital, once blissfully empty, almost a ghost town during the December lull, is filling up again, with roads clogged with traffic.
The airport, meanwhile, has shed its holiday calm and turned into a beehive of activity as the famed summer bunnies begin their annual migration, boarding flights back to their overseas lives after weeks of family reunions, nyama choma, beach sunsets, and nostalgic laughter.
Summer bunnies is the affectionate nickname given to young Kenyans who live or study abroad and return home for the holidays. They arrive with freshly acquired accents, stories from faraway cities, and the occasional wide-eyed reaction to things that once felt ordinary. Love them or laugh at them, their presence adds a lively, almost theatrical layer to the December season.
But beyond the odd ‘culture shock’ moments, a summer bunny trip is rarely spontaneous. It comes wrapped in spreadsheets, strict budgets, packed itineraries, and long to-do lists.
There are flights to catch, homes to book, reunions and weddings to attend, parties to show up for, adventures to tick off, and memories to squeeze into a few short weeks. Their return home fills planes, hotels, Airbnbs, and entertainment venues, giving the festive economy its annual adrenaline shot.
Collectively, these diaspora visitors help turn December into peak season for Kenya’s travel and tourism industry, especially in hotspot destinations like the Coastal region.
Occupancy rates
However, according to Habel Mwakio, founder and CEO of Coast Holiday Homes agency, which advises and offers accommodation packages ranging from basic to luxury, the 2025 season did not quite live up to expectations. According to Habel, accommodation occupancy in 2025 was between 60 and 70 percent, a noticeable dip compared to the highs of 2023 and 2024.
“Last year, the December holiday wasn’t really lucrative compared to the two previous years. There wasn't enough money in circulation because of low business. A lot of businesses struggled, and some were forced to close. Things started getting better in October when schools closed, and families began to travel,” Habel told the BDLife.
Then November came, and with it, a spike in visitor numbers.
“From the trends we’ve observed over the 19 years we’ve been in business, 2025 stood out, not in a good way. Like I pointed out, it was the worst year compared to the others. Things only began to improve in October when schools closed, and families began to travel for leisure, and then picked up further in November through to December, when the summer bunnies started jetting in,” He added.
For a lot of summer bunnies, Habel said, many arrived with their families or loved ones, which played a big role in where they chose to stay.
“It wasn’t just hotels benefiting from this group. Many travelled differently, and their accommodation choices reflect that. Some came alone, others with partners, and many with families. A single traveller or a couple might prefer a fully furnished studio apartment instead of a hotel. Bigger families, depending on their size, opt for one-bedroom, two-bedroom, or even up to five-bedroom furnished apartments.”
Travel habits
But travel style wasn’t the only deciding factor. Habit and comfort with the familiar also shaped choices.
“There are families who are used to hotels, and convincing them to try something new takes a lot. Couples tend to be more flexible and open to experimenting, but some travellers prefer to stick with what they know.” Habel noted.
With the rapid growth of self-catering options, especially Airbnbs, one might assume they would be giving hotels a serious run for their money owing to being more affordable, flexible and homely. In logic it makes sense, but Habel said in reality, not always.
“Self-catering accommodation is still a very young concept in Kenya, despite its rising popularity. In Europe, it’s well established. Here, the industry is still figuring out how to sell it, especially to foreign tourists. That gap matters,” he explained.
He added that the long-standing travel habits continue to work in hotels’ favour.
Take for instance, Travellers Beach Hotel and Spa. The five-star establishment, which has 288 rooms, was fully booked from December 30 to January 2, according to James Muchiri, its Sales and Marketing Manager.
Mombasa Continental Resort also experienced high occupancy during this season, with 173 of its 178 rooms booked through to January 3, 2026. The 2025 season was a remarkable one compared to the previous ones, according to its General Manager, Mike Kamau.
“This festive season has been quite good. I must confess it’s remarkably better than any other that we’ve had before. We had a lot of people, a mixture of young and old who came over,” Mike said.
Family trends
Habel observed that many families begin planning their December trips as early as January, booking and paying for stays during the low season when rates are cheaper.
“By the time December comes around, everything is already paid for. With that kind of planning, it’s hard to switch to self-catering options, which rarely allow for such early bookings.”
For Villas which fall on the luxury end of self-catering, the cost per night would be slightly higher.
According to Agnes Mkamze who rents out Villas in Diani, during the peak season such as the December holidays, most Villas charge between Sh30,000 - 60,000 per night.
“We have realised more young travellers are opting for self-catering accommodation. One villa can host up to 10 people making it ideal for summer bunnies travelling in groups. The flexibility of the apartment and Villas is fueling this trend when they realise that Villas offer a home experience where you have a private swimming pool, flexibility on when to have meals, a compound where to park and can control who comes in ,” said Agnes who enjoyed full occupancy during the December holidays.
But for the high end hotels and accommodation, the 7-stars such as Villa Rosa Kempinski, many summer bunnies who booked stayed with family.
“Many of our visitors during the December holidays were more of the mature people because during this period it’s a peak season and our packages tend to be high, we are talking of $2,000 (Sh256,000) for a night stay,” Maryanne Njeri of Vila Rosa Kempinski said.
