Nairobians not such a romantic lot – survey
Less than half of Nairobi residents intend to celebrate this Valentine’s Day.
Of the 46 per cent intending to do so, more than half will buy a gift for their loved ones.
According to a survey by Trends and Insights for Africa (Tifa), women are more likely to buy gifts for their loved ones than men.
“The survey also shows that age is another key differentiator for celebrating Valentine’s — the younger one is, the more romantic they are likely to be, and thus a higher likelihood of them celebrating,” says Tifa research director Maggie Ireri.
According to the survey, more women (51 per cent) are likely to celebrate the day compared to males (47 per cent).
SPENDING PATTERNS
The survey revealed varying spending patterns by gender, with males intending to spend more.
The survey also showed that the older age group, 40 plus, is likely to spend more money on gifts than the younger ones between 18 and 39.
“The higher expenditure by men on women is not unusual as men are expected to spend on a gift in addition to paying the bill for the day’s outing. Women, on the other hand, will spend money on a gift only. The older generation are spending more on their loved ones and this could be an indication they have more income or more affection,” says Ms Ireri.
Married couples are more likely to celebrate Valentine’s Day compared to singles. This accounts for 53 per cent and 46 per cent of the respondents respectively.
The survey sampled 544 people living in Nairobi in 17 sub-counties.
SINGLE VS MARRIED
The single are more likely to buy gifts than the married.
An evening outing tops the list of activities that Nairobians will engage in, with 44 per cent mentions.
Flowers gets mentions from both men and women. The men will purchase flowers for their loved ones as a sign of love.
The study also revealed that women will buy flowers for family or friends.
This is contrary to common belief that flowers are exchanged by members of opposite sex.
Other gifts include chocolate, clothing and jewellery.
Although Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend, only 2 per cent of Kenyan intend to travel.