As effort is made to boost tourism in the country, hotels and tourism planners must
identify areas with growth potential or identify niche markets as a potential new source of
tourists both locally and internationally. Persons with disabilities comprise one such
market. This study sought to find out priority considerations in the choice or preference
of hotel facilities by PWPDs in Nairobi and in the process identify the unfulfilled gaps in
product and service delivery so as to make hotels friendlier and more sensitive to guests
with disabilities. The study had seven objectives namely; to determine experiences of
guests with physical disabilities when using hotel products and services; to establish
attitudes and perceptions held by guests with physical disabilities towards hotels, their
products and services; to find out whether persons with physical disabilities experience
any discrimination in Kenyan hotels and responses to discrimination by persons with
physical disabilities; to determine credibility of sources of information as perceived by
persons with physical disabilities while sourcing for hotel products and services; to
categorize challenges faced by persons with physical disabilities while using hotel
products and services; to find out social motivations of persons with physical disabilities
while using hotel products and services and lastly to determine best predictor variables
for choice or preference of hotel facilities by PWPDs. A cross sectional survey design
was adopted for this survey which was conducted in the County of Nairobi; Kenya. The
population under study covered persons with physical disabilities. A total of 356 usable
participant surveys out of the targeted 361 were analyzed yielding a response rate of
98.6%. The study utilized semi-structured questionnaires and personal interviews to
obtain data. Data analysis involved quantitative techniques for data analysis which was a
combination of various descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Pearson
Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to measure the strength of linear
dependence between each variable used in the study and the choice or preference of
hotel. Multiple Regression was used to determine predictor variables influencing choice
or preference of hotel facilities by persons with physical disabilities in Nairobi. It was
found that majority of the survey respondents had positive experiences while visiting
hotels in the country and that many of them did not feel discriminated against by hotels
(p-value <0.001); it was also found that persons with physical disabilities in Kenyan
hotels were still not in a position to fully participate in leisure activities when visiting
hotels due to lack of upgraded sports equipment (p-value <0.001). Findings also revealed
that persons with physical disabilities found Kenyan hotels to be ignorant in terms of
arrangements needed for and knowledge of persons with disabilities (p-value <0.001).
Findings also indicated that previous experience was the most credible source of
information closely followed by recommendations from friends with similar disabilities.
Findings also revealed attitudes of managers and staff to be the most difficult challenge
for persons with physical disabilities while using hotel products and services and that
visiting family and friends were the most important social motivator. Three (3) factors
namely information sources, challenges faced by persons with disabilities and
interventions by the Government and hoteliers pertaining matters with a bearing on
PWDs (all at a p-value <0.001) were the best predictor variables that influenced the
choice or preference of hotel facilities by persons with physical disabilities.