Africa's tourism sector is poised for an exciting ascent and boasted the potential to soar if it is propelled by visionary strategies and robust investments that harness the continent's unparalleled tourist allure.
Bani Haddad, founder and managing director of Aleph Hospitality, a large independent hotel management company in the Middle East and Africa, said the pandemic had several profound effects on the tourism sector.
“One of the most noticeable impacts has been the increased desire among travellers for domestic or regional trips, as well as nature-based or less crowded destinations. Africa is uniquely positioned to benefit from these trends,” Haddad said.
Amid the unprecedented changes of recent years, Africa’s tourist appeal was said to be greater than ever and with the right steps, it can offer more top destinations for modern tourists.
Citing the latest Chain Development Pipeline report by W Hospitality, Haddad noted a 20% growth in the number of hotel rooms in Africa since 2020, reaching a total of 92 134 rooms.
“This growth indicates that the supply is expanding across the continent to meet the rising demand. We are also witnessing an increase in the quality and branded hotel supply in resort destinations such as Zanzibar and national parks like Serengeti and Mara,” he said.
“The global demand for nature and experiential experiences presents as significant opportunity for Africa, which has much to offer in this regard.”
Haddad said investing in and fostering partnerships within the tourism sector was not just beneficial but essential for unlocking its full potential in Africa.
He said these efforts can lead to comprehensive economic development, job creation, and the promotion of sustainable and inclusive growth.
Daniel Trappler, the senior director for development sub-Sahara Africa at Radisson Hotel Group (RHG), said RHG planned to capitalise on growth opportunities in key value nodes such as Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Zanzibar, and leisure offerings in the coastal and safari segments across Southern and Eastern Africa.
“Within these nodes lies the opportunity to increase RHG branded supply to meet the obvious growing demand.”
Trappler highlighted RHG's eagerness to expand its footprint in Cape Town's 5-star and luxury segments, which have consistently performed above the market average despite higher rates. In Victoria Falls, RHG aimed to replicate the success of its Zambezi River's Zambia side, planning to introduce the upscale Radisson brand to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
"We are actively seeking partners to bring our Radisson, Radisson Blu, or Radisson Collection brands to Zanzibar, given RHG's significant presence in Eastern Europe, the largest source market for Zanzibar," Trappler added.
Since opening its new Radisson Safari Hotel Hoedspruit, RHG has set its sights on replicating the same model within Southern and Eastern Africa, capturing both the foreign market and the regional market, which prefers short travel distances for tourism needs.
“The group is developing resort offerings in various safari and coastal locations, including Masai Mara, Serengeti, the Kenyan coast, Seychelles, Mauritius and the wildlife territories in Namibia and Botswana."
Trappler underscored the critical role of investment and public sector involvement.
“The contribution of tourism to GDP is evident across the region. National and local governments need to increase their awareness of the sector's potential contribution to GDP,” he said.
“In South Africa, where RHG aims to double its portfolio, we need to see more active interest and contributions from the public sector towards developing hotels and hospitality infrastructure.”
He stresses the need for public sector initiatives driving growth in this sector, particularly in South Africa, where the sector was strong but could be a much larger contributor to GDP and employment creation.
In May, South Africa has ranked the highest in the African region in the 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index (TTDI) by the World Economic Forum coming in 55th among 119 countries and emerged as the leading country in the rankings for the African continent.