Hotel Owners Ask Us

Navigating Ebola Narratives
and Guest Anxiety

We get asked this a lot: Our guests are nervous about travelling to Africa right now. What do we tell them?

It's a fair question – and an important one.
If you're fielding hesitant enquiries or watching bookings wobble, you're not imagining it. The Ebola outbreak declared in the DRC in May 2026 has generated significant international media coverage, and that coverage is doing what media coverage does so well: amplifying fear well beyond the actual risk picture.

So, let's separate the two.

What the data actually shows

As of end June 2026, the outbreak is concentrated in the Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces of the DRC, with a small number of cases detected in Kampala, Uganda, largely among identified close contacts. The WHO declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern – a serious classification – but one that triggered a coordinated, structured response. The WHO is working closely with Africa CDC on surveillance, contact tracing, infection prevention and community engagement.

The point is: this is a contained, actively managed outbreak in a specific region. It is not a continent-wide health crisis. The vast majority of African destinations, including Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa are not affected in any way.

That matters, because your guests may not understand the geography behind the headlines.

“One of the simplest ways to address guest concerns is by providing geographical perspective,” says Celestine Riandeh, Business Development Manager at Profitroom. “Many international travellers don't realise that Nairobi is more than 1,200 km from the eastern DRC border; farther than London is from Rome. That context reminds guests that Africa is a continent of 54 countries, not a single destination.”

Language that works

When a nervous guest asks, "is it safe to come?", the worst responses are dismissiveness ("of course it's fine!") and silence. Neither builds confidence.

What works is: acknowledge, inform, reassure. In that order.

Something like: "We understand why you're asking – the news coverage has been alarming. The outbreak is concentrated in specific provinces of the DRC, which is [X distance/countries] from us. We're monitoring the situation closely through credible sources, and we want to make sure you have accurate information to plan with confidence."

You're not minimising their concern. You're redirecting it toward facts. That's a very different thing.

Don't wait for the cancellation

If you have guests booked who might be watching the news anxiously, particularly those travelling to or through the DRC or Uganda, reach out before they do. A proactive message that acknowledges the situation, states the facts clearly, outlines your flexible booking terms and confirms that you're ready to welcome them is far more effective than a cancellation conversation after the fact.

Keep it short and specific: what the actual situation is, what your rescheduling or cancellation terms are, and who they can contact with questions.

Facts over fear

Do familiarise yourself with trusted, up-to-date sources of information and official travel advisories. At the moment, CDC has issued a Level 3 advisory for the affected provinces of the DRC (reconsider all nonessential travel to Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu) and a Level 2 for Uganda (practice enhanced health precautions). All region specific. Some countries, like the US, have also introduced enhanced health screening for travellers arriving from affected areas.

Best bet? Direct your guests to their government's official travel advisory and the WHO's situation updates. It takes 30 seconds, it's accurate, and it allows them to travel with confidence.

The direct booking advantage

Here's where the difference between direct guests and OTA guests becomes very real. If a guest booked through an OTA, they disappear into that platform when anxiety strikes – they contact the OTA, not you. You have no relationship to lean on, no communication channel to reassure them, and no ability to get ahead of a cancellation.

Direct guests are different. You have their contact details, their booking history, and the ability to reach them personally. That's not just a revenue advantage. In moments like this, it's a trust advantage.

Hotels that have invested in CRM and direct booking infrastructure can communicate at scale, quickly and personally. Those relying on third parties to communicate for them are frankly, hoping for the best.

To illustrate the point, Kevin Mandlokuwa, Senior Customer Success Manager (International) at Profitroom explains that by leveraging Profitroom CRM's automated messaging tools, hotels can proactively trigger reassurance campaigns at the time of booking and ahead of arrival, directly addressing guest concerns.

“If reassurance alone isn't enough to prevent a cancellation, offering a future travel voucher or discount code is an effective retention strategy, turning potentially lost revenue into a future booking,” says Kevin.

The bigger picture

Uncertainty tests relationships. T
he hotels that navigate it best aren't reacting; they're already talking to their guests.

Profitroom helps hotels build systems and guest relationships – that make proactive communication possible at scale.

Learn more about our CRM platform.