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Africa which is home to some attractive tourist destinations ranging from Pyramids, Victoria Falls and wildlife safaris draws around five percent of world’s tourists, according to experts present at an African tourism conference hosted by Airbnb in Cape Town recently.
Commenting on unlocking continent’s huge potential in tourism, experts said eco-tourism, cultural experiences and domestic travel can be brought into the picture.
“When you look at the success stories, it’s those countries who’ve embraced trends,” said the African Tourism Association’s (ATA) Managing Director, Naledi Khabo who spoke at the summit. “When you look at some countries which have made sustainability a focal point, like Tanzania, or Rwanda, they’re very attractive for certain travellers.”
The experts also confirmed that the eco-friendly safaris and carbon-neutral lodging draw increasing numbers of tourists from Europe and North America. According to Tanzania Invest, the number of travellers visiting Tanzania has been doubled since 2006 to more than 1 million, contributing 14% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)
Khabo confirmed other success stories included South Africa, which is promoting the diversification of their products beyond the safari. In recent years, South Africa has seen a boom of experience-based tours including rural travel, wine tours and game lodges.
“We tapped into the development of tourism in rural and township spaces,” she said. “We are now starting to see cultural inclusivity. Those areas have been untapped.”
“Every new business, destination, route or visitor creates an opportunity for local people,” said the World Bank in a statement. Many African destinations have earned foreign visitors’ hard currency, Kenya has invested heavily in promoting “staycations”.
“We have managed to develop the domestic market. 21% of Airbnb occupancy is the domestic market. It’s benefiting us,” said Kenya’s Tourism Minister at the conference.
Source: travelnewsdigest.in
