TOURISM IN AFRICA: AN UNTAPPED GOLDMINE?

this comes as no surprise as Africa is in a constant state of flux and innovation ranging from Africa’s Common Passport as a catalyst to boosting Intra-Africa travel to growing proud national airlines such as Air Mauritius, Kenya Airlines, Rwanda Air, to improving quality and accountability mechanisms under South Africa’s Grading Council. From hotel chain developments in West Africa to the staging of Africa’s premier world travel exhibitions such as Africa’s Travel Indaba in Durban, Meetings Africa in Johannesburg and the World Travel Market (WTM) Expo in Cape Town, African tourism stakeholders and role players are collectively playing a very important part in promoting Africa's very untapped potential.

With the United Nations proclaiming this year as the “International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development” in recognition of the tremendous potential of the tourism industry which contributes to approximately 10% of the world’s economic activity, it is a most opportune time for public and private sector role players to pick up their game and for African countries to fine tune co-operative agree ments that will foster tourism growth and give momentum towards tapping Africa’s huge potential.

But can Africans afford to sit back and relax just yet ?

No, on the contrary. Government agencies such as South African Tourism, the official tourism marketing arm of the South African government, actively participate in various tradeshows