Africa is seeing a boom in tourism

Friday, March 15, 2019

Travel to Africa is on the increase. New research from the WTTC has found that the continent is surpassing other regions when it comes to tourism growth.

While the global average of growth is 3.9 percent, travel to Africa grew 5.6 percent in 2018. This makes Africa the second-fastest growing tourism region only after Asia-Pacific.

The rebound is partly due to a rebound in travel to North Africa after it stabilized after security crises. The WTTC also credits the “implementation of policies that promote travel facilitation.”

Ethiopia is outpacing other African nations in terms of growth. Not only it is Africa’s fastest-growing travel economy but also the world’s. Tourism in Ethiopia grew 48.6 last year and is worth $7.4 billion. Much of the growth in Ethiopia is due to the development of the country as a regional transport hub and a relaxed visa policy.

Major safety and security improvements have also promoted growth in Egypt. In Egypt, tourism grew 16.5 percent last year, and international visitor spending accounted for 27.3 percent of exports. Key destinations like Sharm El-Sheikh have helped bring visitors back to the country’s northern coast.

“In 2018, the World Travel & Tourism Council hosted its first ever Africa Leaders Forum in Stellenbosch, South Africa, recognizing the increasing significance and power of this great region’s travel economy,” said the WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara.

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