Evaluation of E-Tourism Adoption and Its Impact on Hotel Bookings in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria

This study evaluates the adoption of e-tourism technologies and their impact on hotel booking volumes in Kogi State, North Central Nigeria. The digitalisation of travel and hospitality services has fundamentally transformed how consumers discover, evaluate, and book accommodation globally, yet adoption rates among hotel operators in smaller Nigerian cities and states remain relatively low. A mixed-method research design is employed with questionnaires administered to 120 hotel guests and structured interviews conducted with general managers and reservations officers of 18 registered hotels in Lokoja and Kabba. E-tourism dimensions assessed include presence on online travel agency platforms, hotel website functionality, mobile booking capabilities, online payment integration, and use of digital marketing analytics. Findings reveal that only 33 percent of sampled hotels in Kogi State are listed on major online travel agency platforms, and fewer than 20 percent have functional mobile-optimised booking systems. Hotels with active e-tourism capabilities report average occupancy rates 22 percentage points higher than those without digital booking channels. Guest demand for digital booking is high, with 74 percent of respondents preferring online booking when available. The study recommends a state-supported e-tourism onboarding programme for Kogi hotels, subsidised online travel agency listing fees for first-time participants, and digital literacy training workshops for hotel reservations staff. Keywords: e-tourism, online booking, hotel technology, Kogi State, digital hospitality