Twahafa Neshuku Simataa
Perceived as Africa’s gateway to the world and vice versa, the African tourism market remains at the epicentre of global attention, offering unique travel opportunities to many global travellers.
It is no secret that Africa is a diverse continent with rich cultural heritage waiting to be explored, and through this, tourists have a chance to experience Africa’s traditions, languages, cuisine, and tapestry, not forgetting its most sought-after natural landscapes, flora, and fauna.
For Africa to fully benefit from its tourism wealth, a significant opportunity lies in the economic benefits intra-African tourism presents. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in intra-Africa tourism as countries on the continent seek to promote travel and exploration within their borders. This trend presents a myriad of opportunities for both tourists and the local economies, creating an integrated tourism market for all Africans. Every African has a unique story to tell, and if more African youth can actively participate in innovative tourism, this would attract continental and foreign investment and boost local economies by creating jobs and supporting small businesses.
Targeted support, financial backing, and investments, particularly towards tourism start-ups, SMEs, and entrepreneurs in tourism, will open doors and create many economic prospects for intra-African tourism, helping to shape sustainable African tourism. The Namibian Tourism Satellite Account Report revealed that during 2022, the gross value added by the tourism industries in Namibia was estimated at 6.9%. With a total national GDP of N$206.2 billion in 2022, N$14.3 billion was contributed by the tourism sector.
As a fast-growing economic sector, African states should embrace and comprehend the economic impacts and prospects of independent and thriving tourism industries.
In the pursuit of forging a sustainable intra-African tourism map, priority should be given to domestic tourism, defined by UNWTO as the activity of residents travelling to and staying outside their usual environments.
It is essential for Africans to fully
understand and shape their own tourism trajectory, which aims to package it continentally and globally. Intra-African tourism has the potential to reduce the continent’s reliance on international tourism. As witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the decline in African tourism activity, which was outwardly held together by international travellers, is proof that by promoting travel within Africa, countries can diversify their tourism markets and reduce their vulnerability to external factors such as global economic downturns or travel restrictions.
One of the key opportunities of intra-African tourism is the promotion of cultural exchange and understanding. Having just attended the sixth Africa Youth in Tourism Summit held in Windhoek, Namibia, I have witnessed the power of a shared African vision. The summit connected and gathered African youth, tourism, and affiliated industry experts from across 40 African countries, both physically and virtually. Providing mentorship, coaching, value-based collaboration, and primarily, a platform to explore and develop actionable solutions for Africa’s tourism sector.
Meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) travel is also an important component for Africa’s tourism and hospitality industries as it promotes more competitiveness among different destinations, creating unprecedented employment opportunities, which will keep tourism alive in off seasons.
Overall, platforms such as these offer invaluable insights and need assessments on current and future tourism trends.
They also promote innovation and technology as crucial vehicles for propelling Africa’s tourism map.
In order to fully realise the opportunities of intra-African tourism, there are several key strategies that can be implemented.
These include improving infrastructure networks, creating integrated digital foot
prints, and promoting cross-border cooperation by addressing the existing and prospective barriers hampering intra-African tourism.
Essentially, marketing and innovation remain necessary tools to promote and raise awareness about the diverse travel destinations within Africa. With the right strategies and investments, intra-African tourism has the power to unite Africans and transform the way the world sees the continent.
*Twahafa Neshuku is a Pan-African youth and AfCFTA consultant.