Airline surcharges are becoming an increasingly expensive blind spot for corporate travel buyers, with rising fuel costs pushing carriers to add fees that can escape negotiated corporate discounts and quietly erode the savings companies expect from their travel contracts.

The pressure has intensified since late February 2026, when higher jet-fuel prices triggered increases in airfares, baggage charges and carrier-imposed surcharges. Rather than increasing published base fares, some airlines have used YQ and YR charges to adjust the final price of tickets.

For corporate travel managers, the problem is straightforward: a company may negotiate a 20, 30 or 40 per cent discount with an airline, but that discount may not apply to the carrier-imposed portion of the ticket.

The result is a growing gap between the advertised contractual discount and the actual saving achieved on the total ticket cost.

These charges are not government taxes. YQ and YR are airline-controlled fees that can cover fuel-related costs as well as other operating and distribution expenses. They are particularly common on international journeys and tend to become more significant in premium cabins.

Their flexibility is part of their attraction to airlines. Adjusting a surcharge allows a carrier to change pricing across a large number of fares without having to rewrite individual fare tariffs.

But that flexibility is becoming a headache for travel managers trying to forecast expenditure.

An analysis by American Express Global Business Travel found that, if oil remained around $152 a barrel and demand held steady, business-class fares from North America to Europe could rise by between 6 and 16 per cent, while Europe-North America fares could increase by about 10 per cent. Transpacific business-class fares were projected to rise by about 7 per cent.

The impact is particularly visible on premium international travel.

One business-class itinerary between Los Angeles and London recorded a combined YQ/YR charge of $2,155 in late February. By mid-April, the surcharge had increased to $2,805, adding $650 to the ticket’s cost without a corresponding increase in the negotiated discount. Comparable fares on other carriers showed similarly high surcharge levels.

On another set of sample routes, surcharges accounted for 28 per cent of the total ticket price between Houston and Angola and 41 per cent on a Houston-Bangalore itinerary. Across business-class travel, YQ and YR charges were estimated to represent between 21 and 41 per cent of ticket costs on some routes — a portion that corporate discounts may not touch.

The issue is not limited to the size of the charges. Their volatility is making travel budgets harder to manage.

Fuel-related pricing adjustments are occurring faster and more frequently, creating difficulties for companies that negotiate annual travel contracts and establish fixed budgets. When surcharges rise independently of the base fare, travel managers can find that the economics of an airline contract change even though the contractual discount itself remains unchanged.

For travel agencies and travel management companies, the development creates another layer of complexity.

Corporate clients increasingly expect agencies to demonstrate savings against the full ticket price rather than simply the published fare. As carrier-imposed charges become a larger component of that price, agents have to scrutinise fare construction more closely and explain why a ticket carrying a substantial negotiated discount can still cost significantly more.

It also creates an opportunity for travel advisers that can provide better cost visibility.

Companies can respond by reviewing total ticket costs rather than relying on headline discounts, monitoring surcharge movements on frequently travelled routes and using fare-reshopping technology to identify cheaper alternatives when prices change.

Large corporate programmes may also have room to negotiate additional value through volume-based arrangements, back-end incentives or rebates, particularly on routes where a company has significant travel share.

The challenge for airlines is equally clear.

Surcharges provide a fast mechanism for responding to fuel costs, but when they become a substantial part of the final fare, transparency becomes increasingly important. Corporate buyers want to know not only why prices are rising, but whether the charges will fall when the underlying cost pressure eases.

Historically, surcharges have tended to decline after fuel costs come down, but not necessarily at the same speed at which they rise. That lag creates another source of frustration for buyers and makes long-term budgeting more difficult.

For Kenya’s travel industry, where international business travel remains heavily dependent on airline pricing and corporate contracts, the issue has wider implications. Travel agents advising corporate clients will increasingly need to look beyond fare discounts and examine the full cost of travel.

The era when a 30 per cent airline discount automatically meant a 30 per cent saving may be disappearing.

As surcharges take a larger slice of the ticket, the real measure of a corporate travel deal is no longer the discount on the fare — it is what remains on the final bill.

Source : businesstravelnews.com

Kenya’s travel agents are looking at a rare commercial opportunity as the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) turns East Africa into a single sporting and tourism market, with the experience of Côte d’Ivoire showing how much spending can spill beyond the stadiums.

The tournament, which Kenya will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda from June 19 to July 17, 2027, will bring 24 national teams and thousands of travelling supporters into the region. CAF president Patrice Motsepe said last month that, despite challenges, he expected the East African tournament to be an “enormous success”.

For travel agencies, the opportunity is not simply to sell an air ticket to Nairobi. It is to package the entire journey, flights, hotels, airport transfers, match-day transport, insurance, excursions and cross-border travel, while using football to sell Kenya as a wider holiday destination.

Côte d’Ivoire provides the clearest African benchmark.

AFCON 2023 generated an estimated US$1.523 billion in local economic impact, according to CAF, including US$522.2 million in secondary and incremental spending. More than 1.2 million supporters attended the 52 matches, with 17 per cent of those surveyed coming from outside Côte d’Ivoire.

The tournament also produced US$86.5 million in retail and tourism revenue, while its global television audience reached about 1.4 billion and its digital impact was estimated at 2.2 billion views.

Those numbers matter for East Africa because the three-host model could spread visitor spending across a much wider geography.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the tourism effect was visible beyond the headline economic figures. The government had prepared more than 100,000 hotel beds ahead of the tournament while expecting more than two million visitors. In San Pedro, where Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia and Tanzania were based, the number of hotels increased from 191 in 2022 to 205 in 2023, while rooms rose from 3,332 to 3,654. Some hotels reported occupancy rates of 75 to 80 per cent during the tournament period.

At an Abidjan hotel, occupancy rose to around 80 per cent from 70 per cent the previous year, while room prices increased by about 30 per cent during key periods, according to reporting by RFI.

For Kenyan travel agents, the lesson is straightforward: football creates the initial demand, but accommodation, transport, leisure and hospitality capture much of the wider spend.

That opens the door to products that combine a match with a safari, beach holiday or city break. A supporter travelling from Nigeria, Ghana or Senegal could fly into Nairobi for a match, spend several days on safari and then continue to Uganda or Tanzania for another fixture. A corporate group could combine match hospitality with meetings, while supporter clubs could purchase flights, hotels and ground transport as a single package.

The three-country format makes regional itineraries particularly attractive. Instead of treating Nairobi, Kampala and Dar es Salaam as separate destinations, agents can sell them as stops on one AFCON journey.

That plays directly into the role of the professional travel agent.

Online platforms can sell an airfare or hotel room, but a multi-country football itinerary involves coordination. Flights have to connect with match dates; accommodation has to be available around peak fixtures; groups need transfers; and travellers may require changes when fixtures or plans shift.

The agent therefore becomes less of a ticket issuer and more of a trip architect.

There is also an opportunity to capture visitors who have little interest in spending their entire trip inside a stadium.

Côte d’Ivoire’s experience suggests that destination perception can be one of the tournament’s most valuable legacies. CAF found that 97 per cent of people surveyed believed AFCON 2023 helped promote Côte d’Ivoire as a tourism destination, while 90 per cent of international supporters said they would return to the country in future.

That is particularly relevant to Kenya, whose travel industry can use AFCON as a gateway to destinations that have nothing to do with football.

A fan may arrive for a match and leave having experienced the Maasai Mara. Another may discover the coast. A third may extend a business trip into a leisure holiday.

The commercial prize is therefore not necessarily the visitor’s match ticket. It is the additional nights, journeys and experiences attached to that ticket.

The timing also favours agents who begin planning early. AFCON qualification matches begin in September 2026 and run through March 2027, while the finals are scheduled for June and July. Teams that qualify will progressively reveal where supporter demand is likely to originate, allowing agencies to develop country-specific packages and group products.

For Kenya’s travel trade, that means supplier negotiations, hotel allocations, airline partnerships and regional ground-handling arrangements cannot be left until the tournament is underway.

The Côte d’Ivoire numbers show what is possible when football becomes a tourism engine. The 2023 tournament delivered US$1.5 billion in local economic impact, more than US$500 million in secondary spending and 1.2 million stadium spectators.

East Africa now has three destinations, an established tourism industry and a tournament that will command continental attention.

The opportunity for Kenyan travel agents is to ensure that when the football brings visitors through the airport, the money does not stop at the stadium gate.

It should continue into the hotel, the safari vehicle, the restaurant, the airline, the beach resort and, ultimately, the wider tourism economy.

Kenya’s travel agency business is facing a new reality in 2026 as continued enforcement of Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) requirements raises the bar for who can operate in the formal travel trade.

The timing is significant. Kenya closed 2025 with one of its strongest tourism performances on record, generating approximately KSh500 billion in tourism earnings and receiving an estimated 7.9 million tourists, according to the 2025 Tourism Sector Performance Report released by the government in April 2026.

Of these, 2.7 million were international visitors while 5.2 million were domestic travellers. International arrivals increased from approximately 2.47 million in 2024 to 2.7 million in 2025, representing about 9 per cent growth, more than twice the estimated global growth rate of 4 per cent.

The numbers underline why the question of who is allowed to sell travel services is becoming increasingly important.

As more money flows through the tourism value chain, the regulatory spotlight is moving beyond hotels, tour operators and attractions to the businesses that sit between travellers and suppliers, including travel agencies.

Compliance is no longer just paperwork

The continued application of the TRA framework means travel agencies must increasingly demonstrate that they are legitimate, licensed and professionally connected.

Under Kenya’s tourism regulations, tourism enterprises seeking licences or renewals are required, where applicable, to provide proof of membership in a registered tourism sector association.

The regulations also place responsibilities on recognised tourism associations to maintain membership registers, promote compliance with industry standards and report breaches and unethical conduct to TRA.

The result is a layered system of oversight.

Government remains the regulator, but professional associations increasingly play a role in the industry’s compliance infrastructure.

For travel agents, that changes the meaning of membership.

It is no longer simply about attending industry events, networking with airlines or accessing training. Professional affiliation can increasingly become part of the evidence that an agency belongs within the formal travel economy.

A KSh500 billion industry has more to protect

The regulatory pressure comes as Kenya’s tourism industry becomes a substantially larger economic proposition.

The KSh500 billion generated by tourism in 2025 represents a rise from about KSh452.2 billion in 2024, while the country attracted 7.9 million domestic and international travellers during the year.

International tourism alone is becoming increasingly valuable. The rise to 2.7 million international visitors in 2025 puts Kenya closer to its longer-term target of attracting five million international visitors annually.

More visitors mean more airline tickets, hotel reservations, tours, transfers, visa-related services, insurance products and other transactions moving through the travel ecosystem.

They also mean more opportunities for fraudulent operators.

For a traveller paying hundreds of thousands of shillings for an international holiday, a fake ticket or non-existent hotel booking is not merely an inconvenience. It can mean lost money, missed flights, cancelled holidays and, in some cases, travellers stranded far from home.

That makes credibility a commercial issue rather than simply a regulatory one.

The digital agency has changed the game

The traditional image of a travel agent sitting behind an office desk has also changed. Today, an agency can operate almost entirely through a website, Instagram page, Facebook account or WhatsApp Business number. That has made travel more accessible, but it has also made it easier for unqualified operators to present themselves as legitimate businesses.

A professional-looking social media page does not necessarily mean the business behind it is licensed. That is where the continuing TRA requirements become important.

The regulations require licensed tourism enterprises advertising online or through digital booking platforms to display relevant licence identification details. They also restrict digital platforms from listing unlicensed tourism enterprises.

For consumers, that creates a practical verification tool.

The question before sending money to a travel agent increasingly becomes: Is this business licensed, and can its professional credentials be independently verified?

KATA gains greater relevance

For legitimate travel agencies, the regulatory environment is also changing the value of professional associations.

The Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) has built its membership structure around professional and regulatory requirements. The membership, for example, requires documentation including a business registration Licence, tax compliance documentation and IATA accreditation where applicable, alongside audited accounts.

That creates an additional layer of credibility for agencies operating within the formal system.

KATA’s role also extends beyond membership.

The association has increasingly positioned itself around advocacy, training, partnerships, professional development and consumer confidence — areas that become more important as travel businesses navigate changing airline distribution models, digital platforms, cybersecurity risks and increasingly demanding customers.

Its membership has grown significantly in recent years, reflecting the industry’s growing appetite for collective representation and professional support.

The association’s influence has also moved closer to the regulatory centre through the appointment of KATA CEO Nicanor Sabula to the TRA Board, giving the travel agency sector representation within the institution responsible for tourism regulation.

The cost of being legitimate

There is, however, another side to the regulatory equation. Compliance costs money. A legitimate travel agency must contend with licensing, professional membership, trained personnel, technology, accounting systems, tax obligations and other operating costs. An informal operator may avoid some of those expenses and therefore offer apparently cheaper deals.

For years, this has created an uneven playing field. The continued enforcement of TRA requirements could begin to change that calculation. If consumers increasingly verify licences and professional affiliations before making payments, the cost of compliance becomes less of a disadvantage and more of a competitive asset. An agency can point to its credentials as part of the product it sells. Ultimately, trust becomes something an agent can commercialise.

Rogue operators face a different market

For businesses operating outside the formal system, the environment is becoming considerably less comfortable. The combination of regulatory enforcement, professional association oversight and greater consumer awareness makes it harder to rely solely on social media visibility and word-of-mouth referrals.

The challenge, however, will be enforcement. Regulation only changes the market if non-compliance has consequences. If unlicensed operators can continue advertising, collecting customer money and operating openly, legitimate agencies may still find themselves competing against businesses that do not carry the same regulatory costs. But if licensing checks, digital verification and enforcement become routine, the market begins to reward compliance. That could gradually push the travel industry towards a more professional operating model.

Consumers are becoming part of the enforcement chain

The regulatory shift also puts some responsibility on travellers. A customer who checks an agency’s licence and professional credentials before paying is effectively helping to enforce the standards. Travel agents and industry associations are increasingly encouraging customers to verify businesses before making substantial payments, particularly when deals appear unusually cheap or when transactions are conducted through personal rather than established business channels. For travellers, the calculation is simple. A few minutes spent checking an agency may prevent weeks or months of trying to recover money from a fraudulent operator.

The stakes are rising with the industry

Kenya’s tourism sector is no longer operating at its post-pandemic recovery levels. It is growing. That expansion increases the importance of the businesses handling the transactions behind the headline numbers. Travel agencies may be smaller than airlines or hotel groups, but they sit at a critical point in the customer journey. They influence where travellers spend, which airlines they use, which hotels they book and how much money moves through the tourism economy. That is why the continuing TRA compliance regime matters.

It is not simply about forcing agents to obtain another certificate. It is about determining who can credibly participate in a tourism economy that is becoming larger, more digital and more valuable.

For legitimate travel agents, 2026 could therefore mark a turning point. The competitive advantage may no longer belong to the operator promising the cheapest deal on WhatsApp. It may increasingly belong to the agency that can prove, before the customer pays, that it is licensed, professionally affiliated and accountable.

For about nine hours on Thursday, the usual boundaries in Kenya’s travel industry disappeared.

Travel agents sat alongside airlines, fintech companies, insurers, auditors, lawyers, hotels, destination management companies and technology providers, all pitching solutions to an industry whose biggest challenge is no longer simply getting more people to travel, but capturing a bigger share of the value created when they do.

More than 120 industry players gathered at the Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Nairobi for the second edition of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) Travel Business & Innovation Forum, a meeting that put technology, business models and the economics of the travel trade under unusual scrutiny.

The forum, held on August 13 under the theme “Connecting Travel, Business & Innovation,” brought together the travel trade and companies offering everything from digital payments and verification systems to insurance, aviation, hospitality and healthcare facilitation. The programme ran from 8 am to 5 pm and combined keynote sessions with business showcases and networking.

The timing was significant.

Kenya’s tourism industry generated about KSh500 billion in earnings in 2025, according to sector data, while the country recorded about 7.9 million tourist arrivals, comprising 2.7 million international visitors and 5.2 million domestic travellers. International arrivals rose by roughly nine percent from 2024.

For travel agents, another number illustrates the scale of the business. Airline ticket transactions processed through the IATA Billing and Settlement Plan in Kenya exceeded KSh74 billion annually, according to industry data.

Yet the question confronting the industry is whether travel businesses are capturing enough of that expanding economic activity.

That was the uncomfortable question at the centre of Benard Odote’s keynote.

From selling tickets to owning the journey

Odote, Group CEO and Managing Director of The ODOTE Group, told delegates that the travel industry had grown substantially but had not necessarily captured a proportionate share of the value it creates.

“Kenya’s travel industry has never been larger. It has never captured less of what it creates,” he said.

He argued that the traditional travel transaction, an agent selling an airline ticket and perhaps adding a hotel or tour, captures only a fraction of the traveller’s spending.

“Travel is not a flight. It is a thousand decisions.”

The distinction matters in an industry where the customer may use one company to book a flight, another for accommodation, another for airport transfers, a separate platform for activities and another provider for insurance or payments.

Odote’s proposed answer was the Travel Twin, a technology-enabled companion designed to support travellers before, during and after their trip.

“The platform does not replace you. It arms you,” he told agents, arguing that technology should connect the fragmented travel ecosystem rather than eliminate the intermediary.

That ecosystem already includes airlines, hotels, transport companies, tour operators, insurers, retailers and financial providers. The commercial opportunity, he argued, lies in connecting those services around the traveller.

‘Thermometer or thermostat?’

Dr Tonny Omwansa, chief executive of the Kenya National Innovation Agency, took the technology discussion a step further.

He began his keynote with an apparently simple exercise: delegates were asked to close their eyes and point north.

When they opened them, fingers were pointing in different directions.

The laughter made the point.

Perception can differ. Reality does not.

Omwansa then asked delegates whether they wanted to be a “thermometer or a thermostat”, whether they would simply measure what was happening around them or actively change the environment.

“May tomorrow be better because we became more thermostats than thermometers,” he said.

For a travel industry facing artificial intelligence, changing customer behaviour and increasingly digital distribution, the message was direct: adaptation alone may not be enough.

The industry has to participate in shaping the change.

The solutions were already in the room

The strongest feature of the forum was that the discussion about innovation did not end with keynote speeches.

It moved into a marketplace.

The programme featured business showcases from more than 20 organisations, allowing travel agents to examine solutions aimed at specific problems affecting their businesses.

Among the most practical innovations were payment technologies.

Flocash presented payment infrastructure designed to allow businesses to accept multiple local payment methods through a single integration, potentially reducing transaction friction for travel companies serving customers across markets.

FusionFi, meanwhile, showcased a multi-currency digital wallet combining mobile money, banking, stablecoins, payments and digital services in one platform.

And TouristTap, developed by Craft Silicon, demonstrated a cashless proposition aimed specifically at travellers. Its NFC-enabled technology allows tourists to use Visa or Mastercard through their phones to make payments as they would locally.

The significance for travel agents is straightforward: payments are no longer simply an administrative function at the end of a booking. They are becoming part of the customer experience and, potentially, a source of additional value.

Trust becomes a technology issue

Another cluster of solutions focused on a less glamorous but increasingly important part of the travel business: risk.

Verify Group showcased technology-driven verification, compliance and risk-management tools aimed at helping companies conduct due diligence and reduce fraud and operational exposure.

Geminia Insurance brought the risk conversation into the travel transaction, with insurance solutions covering travel, medical, motor and general business risks.

Audit, tax and governance providers Baker Tilly Kenya and KKCO East Africa also featured, reflecting a recognition that digital transformation does not remove the need for stronger financial controls, compliance and governance.
For an industry handling large volumes of customer money and supplier payments, the distinction between innovation and risk management is becoming increasingly blurred.

Technology meets the traditional travel business

The forum also demonstrated that innovation in travel is not confined to software.

Airline Jambojet presented opportunities around regional connectivity and its travel trade partner ecosystem, while Flightlink showcased scheduled regional and safari connectivity across East Africa.

On the accommodation side, Marasa Africa brought safari lodges and camps into the conversation, with products aimed at leisure, corporate and MICE travel. Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Nairobi, the host venue, highlighted its 175 suites and facilities for business, leisure and extended-stay travellers.

Destination management companies also used the forum to widen the product base available to agents.

Uganda-based Allanblackia Safaris showcased cross-border safari and cultural products, while Dubai-based Colors Holidays presented a B2B destination management proposition covering holiday packages, hotels, airport transfers, excursions, MICE, group travel, visa assistance and ground handling.
For Kenyan agents, the message was that growth does not necessarily have to come from selling more of the same products. It can also come from accessing new destinations, suppliers and specialised services.

Medical travel enters the travel-agent conversation

Perhaps one of the more unconventional propositions at the forum came from My 1Health, a healthcare facilitation platform that is effectively turning medical travel into a structured travel product.

The company says it connects patients with more than 350 JCI-accredited and leading hospitals across more than 20 countries and six continents and has coordinated more than 53,000 patients from 151 nationalities.

Its model covers hospital matching, medical records, logistics, visa invitation letters and follow-up care.

That is a significant departure from the conventional image of a travel agent.

Instead of selling only a seat, room or safari, the agent can potentially sit at the centre of a much larger journey involving healthcare, accommodation, transportation and international coordination.

Planning Beyond the Founder

MAK & Partners Advocates brought a longer-term perspective to the forum, highlighting legal, tax and commercial solutions alongside the often-overlooked need for succession planning. For travel agencies built around their founders, the firm stressed the importance of preparing for leadership transitions and protecting business continuity as companies grow.

A marketplace for solutions

KATA chairman Dr Joseph Kithitu described the forum as a market for solutions. A place where problems confronting travel businesses could meet companies with the tools to address them.

KATA chief executive Nicanor Sabula similarly stressed the need for agents to remain connected to “what is cutting edge”, while creating opportunities for business between travel agents and industry partners.

The programme was deliberately structured around this idea. After the keynote, delegates moved through three business showcase sessions, with companies given short presentations before networking and showcase visits. The agenda included fintech, insurance, audit, legal services, airlines, hospitality, DMCs, healthcare and digital business solutions.

It made for an unusual picture of Kenya’s travel economy: the people selling the journey were in the same room as the people building the systems through which that journey is paid for, insured, verified, booked, transported, accommodated and increasingly personalised.

That may ultimately prove to be the more important takeaway from the forum.

Kenya’s tourism sector has already crossed the KSh500 billion annual earnings mark, while travel agents process tens of billions of shillings in airline transactions.

The next battle is not simply over whether the market will grow.

It is over who captures the value when it does.

And if Omwansa’s thermostat analogy is anything to go by, the travel industry is being asked to stop merely reading the temperature, and start changing it.

Dubai is not merely attracting tourists; it is setting new benchmarks for global tourism.

The emirate welcomed a record 19.59 million international overnight visitors in 2025, a five percent increase from the 18.72 million visitors recorded in 2024. The achievement marked Dubai’s third consecutive year of record-breaking tourism growth, reinforcing its position among the world’s most successful travel destinations.

The numbers become even more impressive when viewed against a backdrop of intense global competition. While many destinations are still working to regain pre-pandemic momentum, Dubai has continued to expand its tourism footprint through strategic investments in infrastructure, aviation, hospitality, events, and destination marketing.

Dubai’s appeal lies in its ability to offer something for virtually every traveller. Families flock to its beaches, theme parks, and entertainment attractions. Luxury travellers are drawn to its world-renowned hotels and exclusive experiences. Business travellers benefit from its status as one of the world’s leading commercial and conference hubs, while adventure seekers can move seamlessly from desert safaris to skydiving and water sports within a single itinerary.

The city’s tourism growth is closely linked to its unrivalled connectivity. Dubai International Airport handled a record 95.2 million passengers in 2025, making it the busiest year in the airport’s history and maintaining its status as the world’s leading international aviation hub. The airport connects travellers to hundreds of destinations across six continents, making Dubai one of the most accessible cities on the planet.

Hotels have also benefited from the tourism surge. During the first half of 2025, Dubai welcomed 9.88 million international visitors, a six percent increase year-on-year. Hotel occupancy reached 80.6 percent, a figure many destinations can only aspire to achieve, while room nights sold exceeded 22 million.

What makes Dubai particularly attractive is its ability to continuously reinvent itself. Attractions such as futuristic museums, immersive entertainment districts, waterfront developments, luxury resorts, and year-round global events ensure repeat visitors always have something new to experience.

The city’s calendar remains packed with international exhibitions, sporting events, shopping festivals, culinary showcases, and cultural experiences. This strategy has helped Dubai evolve from a seasonal destination into a year-round tourism powerhouse.

For African travellers, Dubai’s proximity, extensive air connectivity, streamlined visa processes, and diverse tourism offering continue to make it one of the most accessible international destinations. Whether travelling for leisure, shopping, business, family holidays, or stopovers, visitors can tailor experiences to virtually any budget and interest.

As destinations worldwide compete for travellers’ attention, Dubai continues to stand apart through a combination of ambition, innovation, and execution. The city is no longer simply a stopover between continents. It has become a destination in its own right—one that continues to attract millions of visitors and redefine what modern tourism can achieve.

With nearly 20 million international visitors in a single year and aviation traffic approaching the 100 million passenger mark, Dubai’s tourism story is no longer about growth alone. It is about sustaining global leadership in one of the world’s most competitive industries.

The way people travel is changing, and Africa is emerging as one of the biggest beneficiaries of that shift.

For decades, tourism was largely built around ticking destinations off a bucket list. Travellers followed rigid itineraries, visited major landmarks, snapped photographs, and moved on. Today’s traveller is looking for something different. Experiences have become more important than attractions, and authenticity now matters as much as comfort.

Africa is uniquely positioned to meet these changing expectations.

Across the continent, visitors can choose from a remarkable variety of travel styles. One journey may involve wildlife encounters in vast wilderness areas, while another centres on cultural immersion in vibrant cities, community experiences in rural villages, wellness retreats on pristine coastlines, or adventure across mountains, deserts, and forests. The diversity of experiences available within a single continent is becoming one of Africa’s greatest tourism assets.

Modern travellers are also seeking flexibility. Rather than purchasing traditional package holidays, many prefer creating their own itineraries, combining work, leisure, culture, and exploration into one trip. Africa’s growing network of airlines, improved infrastructure, digital booking platforms, and expanding hospitality sector are making this easier than ever.

Another major trend reshaping travel is the search for meaningful experiences. Visitors increasingly want to engage with local communities, learn about cultures, support conservation efforts, and leave a positive impact on the destinations they visit. This shift has placed African destinations at the centre of global travel conversations because many experiences on the continent naturally offer genuine connections with people, heritage, and nature.

The definition of luxury is also evolving. Luxury is no longer measured solely by lavish facilities or extravagant amenities. Instead, travellers are placing greater value on privacy, exclusivity, sustainability, and unique experiences. Africa’s remote lodges, conservation-focused tourism models, and access to some of the world’s most untouched landscapes align perfectly with these preferences.

Technology is further transforming the sector. Digital tools now influence every stage of the travel journey, from destination discovery and trip planning to navigation and experience sharing. African tourism businesses are increasingly embracing innovation to meet the expectations of digitally connected travellers while enhancing customer experiences.

The numbers reflect this growing momentum. Africa welcomed more than 80 million international visitors in 2025, making it one of the fastest-growing tourism regions globally. Tourism growth on the continent has outpaced many mature destinations as travellers seek fresh experiences, emerging destinations, and more meaningful ways to explore the world.

As global travel preferences continue to evolve, Africa is no longer simply participating in tourism trends—it is helping shape them. With its rich cultures, extraordinary landscapes, expanding connectivity, and ability to deliver authentic experiences, the continent is redefining what travel means for a new generation of explorers.

Source: africa-news-agency.com

Three years after bringing home one of Africa’s most coveted tourism accolades, the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) is once again in contention for continental recognition.

KATA has been named an Official Finalist for the African Tourism Association of the Year award under the Brand Excellence category at the Pyne Awards Africa 2026, reaffirming its position as one of the continent’s leading travel trade associations.

The nomination marks another significant milestone for the association, which previously won the award in 2023 and has since continued to strengthen its influence within Kenya’s travel and tourism sector.

Over the years, KATA has evolved beyond its traditional role as an industry representative body. Today, it serves as a key advocate for travel agents, a catalyst for industry partnerships, a driver of professional development, and a platform for dialogue between the private sector and policymakers. Through training programmes, business forums, networking events, policy engagement, and strategic partnerships, the association has consistently worked to create value for its members while advancing the interests of the wider travel industry.

The recognition by the Pyne Awards Africa comes at a time when African tourism is becoming increasingly competitive, with destinations, businesses, and industry bodies all seeking innovative ways to remain relevant in a rapidly changing marketplace. Against this backdrop, KATA’s nomination reflects years of sustained efforts to champion professionalism, encourage collaboration, and strengthen the resilience of Kenya’s travel trade.

For KATA members, the nomination is more than an opportunity to win an award. It is recognition of a collective journey that has seen the association become one of the most respected voices within East Africa’s tourism landscape.

The association is now calling upon its members, partners, and industry stakeholders to support its bid by casting their votes before the 20 August 2026 deadline.

The nomination also comes on the heels of another major recognition for the association’s leadership. KATA Chief Executive Officer Nicanor Sabula was recently named among the MIPAD Global Top 100 Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Leaders – Class of 2026, placing him alongside leading tourism executives, policymakers, hospitality leaders, and investors from across Africa and the global diaspora.

For many within the industry, Sabula’s inclusion on the prestigious list reflects years of leadership dedicated to strengthening the travel trade, advocating for industry growth, and helping shape conversations that influence the future of tourism in Kenya. As CEO of KATA and a Director at the Tourism Regulatory Authority, he has played a central role in advancing initiatives that support travel agents while fostering stronger collaboration across the tourism value chain.

While the MIPAD recognition celebrates an individual achievement, KATA’s latest continental nomination demonstrates the broader impact of that leadership. Together, the two milestones highlight the growing influence of both the association and the Kenyan travel professionals it represents.

As voting continues, KATA has an opportunity to reclaim a title it proudly won in 2023. Should it succeed, the award would stand as further testament to the association’s commitment to excellence and its ongoing efforts to position Kenya’s travel industry among the best on the African continent.

ASKY, the Pan-African Airline, will launch a new destination to its growing network with the introduction of flights to Kano, Nigeria, on 2nd September 2026, further strengthening its position as one of Africa’s fastest-growing carriers.

The new route becomes ASKY’s third destination in Nigeria after Lagos and Abuja, underscoring the Togo-based airline’s commitment to improving intra-African connectivity and supporting growing business and leisure travel demand across the continent.

The expansion follows the recent delivery of two brand-new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, configured with 16 Business Class and 144 Economy Class seats. The addition increases ASKY’s fleet to 17 aircraft, providing the airline with greater capacity to support network expansion and higher frequencies across its regional operations.

The introduction of Kano comes as ASKY continues to position itself as the preferred regional carrier connecting West and Central Africa through its Lomé hub. The expanded fleet will allow the airline to increase frequencies on key regional routes, particularly during peak travel periods and holiday seasons, while offering passengers greater schedule flexibility and improved connectivity across its network.

Kano is one of Northern Nigeria’s most important commercial centres, with strong demand from traders, business travellers and passengers connecting to destinations across West, Central and Southern Africa. The new service is expected to strengthen commercial ties between Nigeria and neighbouring countries while providing seamless onward connections through Lomé to more than 30 destinations served by ASKY.

Since its launch in 2010, ASKY has steadily built one of Africa’s most extensive regional networks, focusing on reliable schedules, modern aircraft and efficient connections between cities often underserved by international airlines. The arrival of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 also reflects the airline’s long-term fleet modernisation strategy, delivering improved fuel efficiency, lower operating costs and enhanced passenger comfort.

Travellers planning to explore West and Central Africa can conveniently book their journeys through accredited and KATA-verified travel agents. Booking through a professional travel agent offers added value, including expert itinerary planning, access to competitive fares, travel advisory services, assistance with ticket changes and personalised support before, during and after travel.

For travel agents, the expansion presents new business opportunities as demand for regional connectivity across Africa continues to grow. The addition of Kano provides agents with greater routing options for corporate travellers, traders, leisure passengers and groups seeking seamless connections through ASKY’s Lomé hub to destinations across the continent.

Passengers can also book directly through ASKY’s official channels or contact their preferred KATA-verified travel agent for professional travel planning and booking assistance.

Skyward Airlines has made clear its commitment to enhancing regional connectivity in Kenya with the scheduled launch on 12^th August of services between Nairobi and Garissa. The new route is expected to unlock new economic opportunities across the Northern Corridor while offering travelers added convenience and competitive fares.

The new route brings Skyward Airlines to the forefront in improving access to one of Kenya’s fastest-growing regions with introductory fares from as low as Ksh 8,500 one – way, setting a new benchmark for affordable air travel into North Eastern Kenya. The launch of the service comes at a time when Garissa experienced renewed economic activity, increased infrastructure investment and heightened interest from businesses, development partners and investors.

This comes after recent upgrades at the Garissa Airstrip that have improved its operational capacity and attracted more airline services in the region. Industry observers believe improved air connectivity will be crucial to boosting trade, investment, tourism and regional development in Northern Kenya.

The route will serve a large number of stakeholders like:

• Local traders and entrepreneurs who need quicker access to markets.
• Investors interested in agriculture, renewable energy, logistics and infrastructure opportunities.
• Humanitarian agencies and development agencies working across Northern Kenya.
• Medical professionals and patients needing faster access to healthcare services.
• Government agencies running development programs in the region.
• Domestic and international tourists looking to experience Northern Kenya’s unique culture and landscapes.

The airline believes the route will support broader national initiatives to promote equitable economic growth and eliminate development constraints.

In a market that has historically had few regular flight alternatives, the Nairobi–Garissa route also brings more competition. Experts in the field notice that competition frequently results in more options, better service, and more affordable travel. Travelers will benefit from greater convenience, flexibility, and access to reliable air travel options because we’ll be operating flights every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, connecting Northern Kenya with the rest of the nation.

The introduction of the Nairobi–Garissa route is in accordance with Skyward Airlines’ broader goals of bringing developing areas together, promoting economic growth, and increasing the number of people who can travel by air. Improved air connectivity will continue to be a major growth driver as Kenya makes investments in regional development and infrastructure.

Skyward Airlines is contributing to the development of new avenues for commerce, investment, travel, and opportunity by connecting Dar es Salaam, Vipingo Ridge, Malindi, Lamu, Mombasa, Diani, Nairobi, Eldoret, Kitale, Lodwar, Migori, and our new route, Nairobi to Garissa, and strengthening ties throughout East Africa.

The new route is more than just a flight for Northern Kenya. It serves as a path to development; every journey matters.