Companies

Firm targets tourists with boat rental mobile app

boat

GetMyBoat is allowing the app users to rent boats and book services such as water sports lessons, kayaking and snorkelling. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Boat-rental platform GetMyBoat has expanded its network to include Kenya as it aims to tap into the growing marine-based tourism and the penetration of smartphones which has made it easier for people to access shared services.

The app, launched in San Francisco in 2013 is already live in Mombasa. The firm is targeting to expand its operations in towns around the coast region including Lamu, and Malindi besides lakes and rivers inland.

GetMyBoat is allowing the app users to rent boats and book services such as water sports lessons, kayaking and snorkelling. It has listed 93 boats in Kenya to date.

Pricing of boat rentals depends on various factors that include the period of usage, model and capacity.

The cost of service starts from Sh2,000 per hour, for instance, for four guests on a dinghy sailing trip. The tech firm charges a commission starting from seven percent for domestic bookings and 10 percent for international charters.

“Since Kenya tourism is on the rise our company is hoping to make boating experiences for travellers easier,” GetMyBoat’s head of marketing Val Streif told the Business Daily.

“It is great for locals who want to enjoy boating but do not want to own their own boat. Boat ownership is declining on a global scale — younger generations cannot afford to buy and maintain, but they still want the chance to get out on the water.”