The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, redesigning a hotel-group website in West Africa costs between 2,500,000 and 6,000,000 FCFA (about 3,810-9,150 EUR) depending on the number of properties, the booking engine and payment methods (Wave, card, mobile money). The real financial stake is not the site price but the 15-25 % OTA commission each direct booking saves. With maintenance at 150,000 FCFA/month, a strong direct site often pays for itself within a single high-season quarter.
The item that changes everything: OTA commission
Booking, Expedia and peers take 15 to 25 % of each reservation. For a group turning over tens of millions of FCFA in room revenue, every point shifted to direct booking matters.
| Channel | Commission | Cost on a 100,000 FCFA booking | Customer-data control |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTA (Booking/Expedia) | 15-25 % | 15,000-25,000 FCFA | None |
| Metasearch (Google) | 10-12 % | 10,000-12,000 FCFA | Partial |
| Direct site (card) | 1.5-2.5 % | 1,500-2,500 FCFA | Full |
| Direct site (Wave/mobile money) | 1-2 % | 1,000-2,000 FCFA | Full |
Shifting even 20 % of bookings from OTA to direct is often enough to fund the redesign in one season.
What a multi-property redesign covers in 2026
A group site must handle several hotels, an availability calendar, dynamic rates, multilingual content and a reliable mobile checkout — 70 % of West African hotel traffic is mobile.
| Item | Essential | Complete | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total price (FCFA) | 2,500,000 | 4,200,000 | 6,000,000 |
| Approx. EUR | 3,810 | 6,400 | 9,150 |
| Properties managed | 1-2 | 3-5 | Unlimited |
| Booking engine | Third-party widget | Integrated | Integrated + dynamic rates |
| Payment | Wave | Wave + card | Wave + card + mobile money |
| Multilingual | FR/EN | FR/EN | FR/EN + 1 language |
| Timeline | 8-9 weeks | 9-11 weeks | 11-12 weeks |
| Monthly maintenance | 150,000 FCFA | 150,000 FCFA | 200,000 FCFA |
Mini case study
Mr. Koffi runs a 3-hotel group in Abidjan-Plateau and Cocody, with room revenue of about 45,000,000 FCFA/year, 60 % of it via OTAs at 18 % commission. That is 4,860,000 FCFA in commissions/year. After a 4,200,000 FCFA redesign (Complete package) with direct booking and Wave payment, he shifts 25 % of OTA volume to direct: roughly 1,215,000 FCFA in commissions saved in year one. Adding maintenance (1,800,000 FCFA/year), the total investment is recouped in under 18 months, then delivers net savings every year.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Proprietary booking engine or third-party widget?
A third-party widget suffices for 1-2 hotels and lowers the budget. Beyond 3 properties or for dynamic rates, an integrated engine maximizes conversion and commission savings.
Is Wave payment reliable for hotels?
Yes: Wave and mobile money cover most local guests at 1-2 % fees, versus 15-25 % for OTAs. Adding card remains essential for international guests.
How long for a multi-property redesign?
Expect 8-12 weeks depending on hotel count and booking-engine integration. Gathering visuals and per-property rates is the main scheduling factor.
Does a redesign really improve SEO?
A technical redesign (speed, mobile, structure) combined with localized content clearly improves visibility, especially on mobile, which dominates West African traffic.
What maintenance budget should I plan?
Maintenance of 150,000-200,000 FCFA/month covers updates, checkout security and booking-engine changes during peak season.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of properties, your booking volume and target payment methods; we will scope a redesign between 2,500,000 and 6,000,000 FCFA. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
