How to market a hotel or lodge in Tanzania

To market a hotel or lodge in Tanzania, combine booking sites for reach with a strong website for direct bookings. Make sure guests can find you on Google, collect and answer reviews everywhere, and show the experience with great photos and video on Instagram and Facebook. Make booking easy on WhatsApp, and partner with tour operators and travel agents. Direct bookings save commission, so give guests a reason to book with you directly, like a better rate, a free extra or flexible cancellation.

Tanzania has a lot to sell: Zanzibar's beaches, the Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro, and business travel to Dar es Salaam, Arusha and Dodoma. Guests have many options too. The properties that stay full are usually the ones that look trustworthy online, answer quickly and make booking simple.

Who are your guests?

Guest type	What they care about	Where they book
International leisure travellers	Photos, reviews, location, experiences, safety	Booking sites, tour operators, Google, Instagram
Safari and climbing clients	Location near parks, packages, transfers	Tour operators, specialist websites
Domestic and East African tourists	Price, family packages, holiday deals	Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, word of mouth
Business travellers	Wi-Fi, location, airport transfers, invoices	Google, corporate agreements, booking sites
Events and conferences	Venue capacity, catering, packages	Direct enquiries, event planners

Photos and video sell rooms

Guests decide largely on photos. Invest in professional photography of every room type, the views, the pool, the restaurant, the beach or grounds, and the details that make you special. Shoot rooms in natural light with the bed made perfectly, and add photos of people enjoying the property, like guests at dinner or a couple on the deck at sunset. Short videos and drone footage (where permitted) work well on Instagram, TikTok and your website. Update photos whenever you renovate. Guests who arrive to find the room doesn't match the photos leave bad reviews.

A resort pool surrounded by villas in Zanzibar — Show the experience, not only the room: the pool, the view, the food, the evening.

A hotel website built for direct bookings

Booking sites charge commission on every booking. Each direct booking through your own website, WhatsApp or phone saves that. Your website needs to make booking as easy as the big platforms:

A fast, mobile-friendly site with big, beautiful photos.
Clear room types with photos, sizes, bed types, amenities and prices or "from" prices.
A booking engine with live availability, or at least a booking request form and a WhatsApp button.
Online payment with cards and mobile money, and clear deposit and cancellation rules.
Location, map, directions and transfer options from the nearest airport.
Reviews from guests, or a widget showing your rating on review sites.
A reason to book direct: best rate, free breakfast, a free transfer or a late check-out.

If you serve international guests, show prices in USD and write in clear English. Our guides on online payments and making a website cover the technical side.

Booking sites: useful, but don't depend on them

Platforms like Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb bring guests from around the world, and for most properties they're worth being on. Keep your listing complete, with the same quality photos as your website, accurate amenities and fast replies to messages. Keep your rates and availability consistent across all channels using a channel manager if you list on several sites, so you don't get double bookings.

Treat booking sites as a way for guests to discover you. Once they've stayed, encourage them to book directly next time, follow you on Instagram and recommend you to friends.

Google: your profile and hotel listings

When someone searches your property's name or "hotels in Paje", Google shows a hotel listing with photos, prices and reviews. Set up and verify your Google Business Profile with the hotel category, add amenities, lots of photos and your website. Google can show prices from booking sites and from your own website next to your listing, if your booking engine is connected. That gives guests the option to book direct from Google.

Reviews are your strongest marketing

Travellers read reviews closely, on Google, TripAdvisor and booking sites. Ask every happy guest to leave one, ideally before they check out or with a friendly message the day after. Reply to every review. Thank guests for kind words, and respond to complaints calmly, explaining what you've done to fix the issue. Future guests read your replies as much as the reviews. A property that responds well to criticism looks better than one with no criticism at all.

Instagram is where many travellers get inspired. Post the experience: sunrise from the room, the chef cooking, a sundowner on the beach, a guest's first glimpse of the view. Use Reels, location tags and Stories. Repost photos guests tag you in (with permission). Partner with travel creators whose audience matches your guests, but check that their followers are real and engaged before you offer a free stay.

For domestic and regional guests, Facebook and WhatsApp are often more effective, with holiday packages, weekend deals and family offers.

WhatsApp for bookings and guest service

Many guests, local and international, prefer to ask questions and book on WhatsApp. Set up WhatsApp Business with your room catalogue, quick replies for rates, availability and transfers, and a greeting message. Use it for pre-arrival messages (directions, check-in time, transfer details) and during the stay. Good service on WhatsApp often turns into great reviews.

Partner with tour operators and travel agents

For safari lodges and beach hotels especially, tour operators and travel agents bring a large share of guests. Build relationships with operators in Arusha, Zanzibar and abroad. Offer clear contract rates, quick confirmations, good commission terms and a reliable experience for their clients. Invite operators for familiarisation stays so they can sell you with confidence. Attend travel fairs if they suit your market.

Packages and seasonal offers

Packages make it easy to say yes. Combine rooms with meals, transfers, spa treatments, excursions or a romantic dinner. Plan offers for low season to fill rooms, and promote holidays like Easter, Eid, Christmas and long weekends to domestic guests well in advance. Make each offer simple, with a clear price and booking deadline.

A woman browsing hotel options on a tablet — Most guests compare several properties online before booking. Make yours the easiest to say yes to.

Email marketing to past guests

Past guests are your best future guests. Collect emails (with consent) at booking and check-in, then send a few emails a year: a thank-you after the stay, seasonal offers, news about renovations or new experiences, and a reminder before the next holiday season. Offer returning guests a small benefit for booking direct. Our email marketing guide explains how to set it up.

What to measure

Track occupancy, average room rate, and the share of bookings from each channel: direct website, WhatsApp and phone, each booking site, and tour operators. Watch how much you pay in commission each month. As direct bookings grow, commission falls and profit rises. Review your ratings on each platform monthly, and read new reviews for patterns that point to things you should fix.

Frequently asked questions

How can a hotel in Tanzania get more direct bookings?

Build a fast website with a booking engine, show a reason to book direct like a better rate or free extra, make booking easy on WhatsApp, and invite past guests to book directly next time.

Should my lodge be on Booking.com and Airbnb?

For most properties, yes, because they bring guests from around the world. Keep listings complete and consistent, and use them for discovery while you grow direct bookings.

How do I get more hotel reviews?

Ask every happy guest, ideally before check-out or with a friendly message after the stay, and make it easy with a direct link. Reply to every review.

Is Instagram good for hotel marketing?

Yes. Instagram inspires travellers. Post Reels and photos of the experience, use location tags, repost guest photos with permission and work with genuine travel creators.

Do hotels need professional photos?

Yes. Photos are one of the biggest factors in whether guests book. Professional photos of every room type and the main areas usually pay for themselves quickly.