Kenya is aiming to more than double tourist arrivals from the Middle East, setting a target of 50,000 visitors against the 20,480 recorded in the 2025/26 financial year. Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) CEO June Chepkemei, speaking on the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai, outlined a strategy built around air connectivity, targeted marketing and investment attraction. Israel, Yemen and Iran currently account for 48% of Middle East arrivals, while the UAE and Saudi Arabia contribute 10% and 7% respectively. Emirates operates three daily flights between Dubai and Nairobi, with flydubai, Kenya Airways and Qatar Airways providing additional connectivity to the Gulf.

Beyond visitor numbers, KTB is positioning the UAE as a strategic investment market, with Kenya’s Ambassador Kenneth Milimo Nganga calling for stronger airline partnerships and reduced bureaucratic barriers to unlock Emirati investment in hotels, resorts, wellness facilities and family entertainment infrastructure. KTB is also working with UN Tourism to identify investment opportunities and will engage travel agents through training and joint marketing activities. The board’s “One Diaspora, One Visitor” initiative – which encourages Kenyans abroad to bring at least one visitor to the country – will be activated through a Diaspora Open Day scheduled for 10 October, targeting the Kenyan community across the UAE and wider Middle East. 

Source: atta.travel

Your Visa Is Digital. But Can the Airline Check It?

A passenger arrives at the airport with a valid passport, a confirmed ticket and an eVisa. But how does the airline know that the eVisa is authentic?

It’s an important question because before a passenger can board an international flight, the airline must confirm they hold the documents required to enter their destination country. Get it wrong, and the airline can face fines and removal costs averaging USD 9,000 per passenger. And the answer to how airlines verify eVisas might surprise you.

While travelers benefit from the simplicity of eVisa issuance, airlines suffer from the complexity of verification.

Proof that an eVisa has been issued might take the form of an email, PDF, or QR code. It might require a website query or a direct connection to a government database. In some cases, it’s just a manual verification of a supporting document. And, in practice, there is little in the way of a standard approach.

Imagine what it’s like to be the check-in agent? You need to be prepared for a passenger traveling anywhere in the world, potentially with transit points that also have visa requirements.

Nobody wants to remove the convenience of eVisas from travelers. But with over 100 countries issuing eVisas, a more efficient system of verification is needed. 

Don’t Digitize Fragmentation

Like many challenges that aviation has overcome, the solution lies in standardization. And the good news is that the basic tools to deal with eVisas have already been developed.

IATA’s Control Authorities Working Group has just published best practices for issuing and verifying digital authorizations to travel – Non-Physical Authorizations to Travel, Best Practices for Issuers and Verifiers (2026) (pdf) – building on work at ICAO. Two mechanisms are central to this approach.

The first is interactive Advance Passenger Information, or iAPI. During check-in, the airline sends passenger information electronically to the destination government and receives a real-time response. This allows the government to confirm whether the passenger meets the requirements for the journey.

Airlines report documentation compliance rates up to 20 times higher for countries with comprehensive iAPI systems than for those relying on manual checks. However, fewer than 30 countries currently operate iAPI systems.

The second mechanism is the ICAO Digital Travel Authorization, or DTA. It provides standardized, digitally signed proof that an electronic authorization has been issued. Instead of every country producing a different confirmation, the essential information is presented in a consistent format that can be authenticated.

The two mechanisms can work together. iAPI enables an airline to verify a passenger’s status directly with a government in real time. A DTA provides standardized proof of the authorization, including when an iAPI check is unavailable.

Moving Forward

Of course, there is a big difference between developing tools and using them. And with national security concerns in play, universal iAPI and DTA adoption will likely take some time. But that is not an excuse to do nothing in the interim period. 

Governments can, for example, align existing visa confirmations with international standards, develop verification methods that integrate with airline check-in systems, and involve airlines before launching new programmes. And, it’s important to note that aligning with global standards does not compromise their authority to decide who needs a visa, the criteria for entry into their territory, or any other aspect of immigration and border control policy.

Governments have made considerable progress in digitizing visa applications and approvals. Verification now needs to catch up. The question should no longer simply be: How do we issue a visa digitally? It must also be: How will an airline on the other side of the world know that it is valid?

Digital visas can make travel faster, simpler and more secure. But they will fulfil that promise only when they are as straightforward for airlines to verify as they are for passengers to obtain.

Source: iata.org

Togo’s Asky Airlines is targeting a fleet of around 30 aircraft and operating to 40 destinations within five years as the West African carrier prepares for its first intercontinental services and plans a $100 million maintenance facility in the capital city Lome.

The airline took delivery of its 17th aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX, in August, bringing its fleet to eight MAX jets and nine 737-800NGs. Further additions are already scheduled as Asky expands its African network ahead of a planned move into long-haul operations.

“On Jan. 19, 2027, we will receive the 18th aircraft, and in February 2027 we will receive the 19th; and that will continue,” CEO Esayas Woldemariam Hailu said during the recent Aviation Africa 2026 event in Nairobi, Kenya.

Asky currently serves around 30 destinations and carries approximately 1.5 million passengers annually. Its network stretches from Cabo Verde in the west to Nairobi in East Africa and Johannesburg in the south, alongside extensive operations across West and Central Africa.

Hailu said the airline intends to significantly expand that footprint over the next five years.

“The plan is for us to reach within five years about 30 aircraft and 40 destinations, and also to widen our scope of operation to go intercontinental, like London, Paris, Dubai, Mumbai and Jeddah, as well as to increase our penetration within the continent of Africa,” he said.

Asky plans to deploy 787s on its eventual long-haul network. African destinations earmarked for expansion include Cape Town, South Africa; Entebbe, Uganda; and Kigali, Rwanda.

“When we go widebody, we are going to bring in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which we will be planning to operate to Paris, London, Dubai and Mumbai,” Hailu said.

However, the widebody program has been pushed back from earlier plans to begin operations next year, with high costs and tight aircraft availability contributing to the delay.

“The cost is biting very hard, and also the 787 Dreamliner is very hard to get because now, in general, there is a shortage of fleets all over the globe,” Hailu said. “We have tried to delay our intercontinental and widebody operation, like to the end of 2027, beginning of 2028. We need a more stable environment.”

Asky is meanwhile preparing its Lome hub for long-haul flying by restructuring its schedule around a “double banking” system designed to provide connections into future European services.

Currently, flights from around 30 origins arrive in Lome between 10 a.m. and noon before departing again between noon and 2 p.m. The carrier intends to add night operations, creating another wave of connecting flights.

“What we are planning is to pull them back and to make it a double banking, to start night operation,” Hailu said. “That will be the one to supply to Europe, for example, to Paris.”

Hailu expects to have the night bank fully established by the middle of 2027, ahead of launching intercontinental services around the beginning of 2028.

The airline expects to start widebody operations with two 787s before increasing the fleet to three. Hailu said the aircraft would come through strategic partner and shareholder Ethiopian Airlines.

“Asky and Ethiopia have a deep commercial cooperation,” he said. “When we pass through Ethiopian Airlines, we have better access to financing, better creditworthiness evaluation, as well as better unit cost for us to lease aircraft.”

Ethiopian’s involvement extends beyond its equity stake. It has a management contract with Asky and currently provides much of the airline’s maintenance support, including line maintenance and heavier shop visits in Addis Ababa.

Asky also in plans to establish a $100 million maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Lome through a joint venture with Ethiopian. The Togolese government has allocated land for the project, while Boeing has completed a feasibility study. The facility is intended to meet Asky’s own maintenance requirements while operating as an independent business serving airlines across West and Central Africa. Hailu said construction and implementation of the Lome MRO facility are set to be in full operation by late 2028.

Asky is a 100% privately owned airline created by regional banking institutions in Africa that includes the Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development, the West African Development Bank, Ecobank Group and Togo State in partnership with Ethiopian Airlines.

Source: aviationweek.com

Members of the Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA) based on the Coast gathered last week for a breakfast meeting in partnership with Kenya Airways, as the association urged its regional chapter to turn Kenya’s strong travel industry figures into tangible business gains ahead of 2027.

Kenya’s BSP gross sales for the period January to August 2026 reached USD 402.76 million, up USD 33.04 million, or 8.9 percent, from the same period last year. Every month recorded year-on-year growth. The national agent network also expanded over the period, KATA CEO Nicanor Sabula said at the meeting.

KATA’s Coast chapter has grown steadily since its founding, evolving from a small regional grouping of agents into one of the association’s most active branches. That growth mirrors the rising importance of Mombasa and the wider Coast region to Kenya’s travel economy, a shift increasingly visible in the scale of business now passing through the city.

In 2026 alone, Mombasa hosted more than 7,500 delegates at the 11th Our Ocean Conference, underlining its emergence as a serious destination for business and conference tourism. The Port of Mombasa also recorded significant cruise activity, including the inaugural call of Azamara Cruises’ Journey, which brought 690 passengers into the harbor.

Kenya Airways’ role as partner for the meeting reflected its position as the national carrier with the deepest network into the region. The airline connects business travelers to Mombasa’s conference calendar, carries cruise passengers onward to other parts of the country, and operates many of the domestic and regional routes that Coast-based agents depend on to build travel packages.

Speaking at the meeting, Patrick Kamanga, KATA’s Coast Region Liaison, described the chapter’s 2026 theme, “The Journey: Built to Last,” as reflecting that longer trajectory.

“Our focus is not simply on what we can achieve today, but on building an association that continues to create value, opportunities, and a strong voice for travel agents at the Coast for many years to come,” Kamanga said.

Sabula used his address to shift attention from current performance to future preparation, telling members to begin planning for 2027 immediately rather than waiting for the new year. He pointed to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 as a significant opportunity, encouraging agencies to package football travel alongside safari, coast stays and regional East African itineraries, itineraries that rely heavily on Kenya Airways’ domestic and regional network.

He also noted that the tournament falls almost entirely within Kenya’s official election campaign period, advising members to build flexibility into any products scheduled during that window. Sabula further urged agents to track corporate travel demand closely from the first quarter of 2027, citing a pattern in which past election cycles have softened business travel even without disruption.

The meeting reflected a broader trend within KATA, where regional chapters such as the Coast branch have taken on a greater role in shaping the association’s strategy, in step with the growing economic weight of the areas they represent. As Mombasa’s profile as a conference and cruise hub continues to rise, KATA Coast members say the region is positioned to capture a larger share of Kenya’s travel industry growth, provided the preparation Sabula outlined begins now.

Uganda Airlines has become the first African carrier to deploy Amadeus SkyWORKS, following a new agreement with travel technology provider Amadeus to introduce the airline scheduling solution.

The technology is designed to support the airline in developing, evaluating and managing flight schedules through an integrated platform. It gives teams tools to edit schedules, assess feasibility in real time, and manage schedule-related information from a central repository.

According to Amadeus, SkyWORKS will allow Uganda Airlines to evaluate different scheduling scenarios through multiple schedule views while improving the efficiency and flexibility of its planning processes.

The airline’s Acting Chief Commercial Officer, Shakila Rahim Lamar, said the rollout would give its teams additional tools to evaluate business scenarios and centralize schedule-related information.

“Rollout of SkyWORKS provides our teams with numerous schedule views to evaluate different business scenarios and offers us a central repository for all schedule-related information.”

She added that the technology would support the airline’s expansion across East Africa and into other markets.

The agreement also expands an existing technology relationship between Uganda Airlines and Amadeus. The two companies have previously collaborated on Altéa, revenue management and loyalty management, with SkyWORKS adding schedule development capabilities to the airline’s technology portfolio.

Yassine Mellak, Vice President of Sales and Account Management, META, at Amadeus, said the latest implementation reflects the continued development of the partnership and is intended to give Uganda Airlines greater flexibility and control over schedule management.

SkyWORKS provides an integrated workbench for flight schedule development, combining schedule editing, real-time feasibility checks, scenario evaluation, reporting and distribution capabilities.

Uganda Airlines has been expanding its network and partnerships as it develops its regional and international operations. The national carrier connects East African destinations with markets in South Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.

The airline has also continued to expand its international connectivity through partnerships with other carriers. Its recent interline partnership with Air India is part of these efforts, providing additional connectivity between the airline’s network and destinations served by its partner.

The deployment of SkyWORKS comes as airlines across the region continue to invest in technology to support network planning and operational decision-making. For Uganda Airlines, the new platform is expected to provide its scheduling teams with a more centralized system for assessing potential changes to its flight program and evaluating different business scenarios.

The development is also relevant to the wider East African travel trade, as changes in airline schedules, network expansion and new partnerships can influence connectivity and the range of routing options available to travel agents and their clients.

As Uganda Airlines continues to expand its regional and international reach, adopting SkyWORKS adds another technology capability to the carrier’s growing aviation infrastructure.

Dubai is preparing to welcome the global travel and tourism industry for the 33rd Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, taking place from 14–17 September at Dubai World Trade Center.

The event is expected to bring together destinations, tourism authorities, airlines, hotels, travel companies, technology providers and other tourism stakeholders from across international markets as the industry looks to strengthen commercial relationships and respond to changing travel patterns.

Organized under the theme “Travel 2040: Driving New Frontiers Through Innovation and Technology,” ATM 2026 will focus on developments shaping the next phase of global tourism, including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, smart mobility and changing traveler expectations.

The event comes as the international travel industry continues to navigate disruption and changing market conditions. Organizers say this year’s edition will provide an opportunity for destinations, businesses and industry stakeholders to reconnect, strengthen partnerships and maintain commercial activity across markets.

Strong focus on business and industry connections

ATM remains a major meeting point for the international travel trade, bringing together buyers and suppliers across tourism, aviation, hospitality and travel technology.

The 2026 exhibition will feature tourism destinations, tourism authorities, airlines, hotels, travel technology companies and tourism suppliers, creating opportunities for industry players to develop commercial relationships and explore new areas of cooperation.

The conference program will run across the Global Stage, Future Stage and Experience Hub, with discussions covering aviation, hospitality, business events, luxury travel, destination resilience, accessibility, sustainability, investment and technology.

A dedicated ATM Travel Tech exhibition will also debut this year alongside the Tech & Innovation Hub, with artificial intelligence, immersive technology, robotics, fintech and smart mobility among the areas being showcased.

Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism is participating alongside partners and stakeholders, further positioning the event as a platform for strengthening international tourism relationships and supporting business opportunities across the visitor economy.

Relevance for African travel trade

For African travel agents and outbound travel businesses, ATM provides a significant B2B marketplace for engaging suppliers from Dubai, the wider UAE and the Middle East.

The event offers an opportunity for travel sellers to meet destination representatives, airlines, hotels, tour operators and technology companies while exploring products that can be incorporated into African outbound programs.

For agents selling the Middle East, this includes opportunities to identify new accommodation options, destination experiences, airline partnerships, ground-handling arrangements, and package offerings for leisure, business, and MICE travelers.

The event’s emphasis on commercial relationships is particularly relevant to travel businesses seeking to expand their supplier networks and develop new products for their markets.

ATM 2026 will also provide a platform for destinations and suppliers to present new tourism products and discuss changing traveler preferences, with the program highlighting the growing demand for more integrated experiences across culture, heritage, gastronomy, wellness and adventure.

Innovation takes center stage.

Technology is expected to be a major theme throughout this year’s event as the travel industry continues to explore artificial intelligence and digital tools across the customer journey.

The new ATM Travel Tech platform and Tech & Innovation Hub will showcase developments in areas including AI, immersive technologies, robotics, fintech and smart mobility. The conference program will similarly examine how technology is changing tourism businesses and traveler experiences.

The event will also showcase developments from major travel industry players. Emirates, for example, will present its new electrically powered Premium Economy seat with a full-height adjustable privacy divider at ATM 2026.

With the global travel community converging in Dubai from 14–17 September, ATM 2026 will provide a concentrated platform for business networking, supplier engagement, destination promotion and industry dialogue.

For African travel agents, the event presents an opportunity to strengthen links with Middle Eastern suppliers while identifying products, partnerships and commercial opportunities that can support the growth of outbound travel from African markets.

Source: Emirates News Agency – ATM 2026

Thailand has scrapped the extended 60-day visa-free stay it has offered international tourists since 2024, reverting to a standard 30-day exemption for nationals of 60 countries from September 15, in a move that will reshape long-stay holiday planning across several of Kenya’s key outbound source markets — but leaves Kenyan passport holders untouched.

The Thai Ministry of Interior published four regulations in the Royal Gazette on August 31, revoking the 60-day exemption that had applied to nationals of 93 countries and territories since July 2024. In its place, travellers from 60 countries — including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and most of the European Union — will now be permitted to enter visa-free for tourism purposes for a maximum of 30 days, extendable once by a further 30 days at a Thai immigration office for a fee of about 1,900 Baht (roughly Sh1,400).

South Africa is the only African country on the new list, meaning South African travellers retain visa-free access to Thailand but at half the previous stay length. Mauritius and Seychelles move onto a separate 15-day exemption, a new benefit for Mauritius and a retained one for Seychelles. Namibia and Ethiopia, by contrast, lose their previous visa-on-arrival privileges entirely, as Thailand has cut that facility from roughly 31 eligible nationalities to just three — Azerbaijan, Belarus and Serbia.

Kenya sits outside all three categories, as it has since Thailand’s exemption regime was first introduced. Kenyan travellers heading to Thailand have always been required to secure a visa in advance, either through the Royal Thai Embassy in Nairobi or the Thai e-Visa portal, and that requirement is unchanged by this week’s reform.

Trade implications for Kenyan agents

For Kenya’s travel trade, the significance of the change lies less in outbound bookings for Kenyan nationals and more in the mixed-nationality client base that local agencies increasingly serve. Corporate and group bookings frequently include travellers on South African, European, American or British passports, and any itinerary built around a two-month Thailand stay for a client on one of the affected passports will need to be revisited before the new rule takes hold.

Agents packaging multi-country Southeast Asian circuits — combining Thailand with Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia or Indonesia — have also been advised to recheck the length of the Thailand leg for clients accustomed to the more generous 60-day allowance, particularly for bookings spanning the September 15 cut-off date.

Travellers who enter Thailand on or before September 14 will retain the full 60-day stay granted at the border, even if that period extends beyond the effective date. Those arriving from September 15 onward fall under the new rules regardless of when the booking was made.

Thailand has also confirmed that its Digital Arrival Card, mandatory for all foreign nationals regardless of visa status, remains in force and should be completed within 72 hours of arrival.

No change on the ground for Kenyan holidaymakers

Industry sources note that the reform, while significant for several of Thailand’s largest source markets, does not alter the practical process facing Kenyan holidaymakers or business travellers, who must continue to apply for a Thai Tourist Visa — typically valid for stays of up to 60 days — before departure, as has been the case for years.

Travel agents have been cautioned against applying the “60 days cut to 30” headline uniformly across their client books, given that Thailand’s entry rules now run across several parallel categories — the 30-day exemption list, the 15-day exemption list, a sharply reduced visa-on-arrival list, and a series of separate bilateral agreements covering countries such as China, Russia and Kazakhstan at different stay lengths. Confirming entry requirements against a traveller’s specific nationality, rather than assuming a blanket rule, remains the recommended practice heading into the new regime.

Kenya has enacted the Air Passenger Service Charge (Amendment) Act, 2026, introducing changes to how the government administers, distributes, and remits revenue collected through the Air Passenger Service Charge.

The amendment is significant for the aviation and travel industry, but does not increase the statutory passenger service charge payable by travelers.

The legislation focuses on how the charge collected from passengers is distributed among agencies that benefit from the revenue. The revised framework provides for the collected funds to be remitted to designated beneficiaries, including the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), Kenya Meteorological Services Authority and Tourism Fund.

The changes aim to establish a clearer framework for the flow of revenue collected through the passenger service charge, including remittance to the respective institutions.

No change to passenger charge rates

The enactment has attracted attention in the travel industry after reports said the amendment would increase charges paid by passengers departing from Kenya.

Some early reports indicated that the international passenger service charge would rise from USD 40 to USD 50, while the domestic charge would increase from KES 500 to KES 600.

However, examination of the enacted legislation indicates that the rates themselves have not been amended.

The amendment therefore should not be interpreted as introducing an immediate increase in the amount charged to passengers. The changes contained in the legislation relate primarily to the allocation and remittance of the revenue, rather than the statutory rates.

This distinction is particularly important for travel agents, airlines, and other businesses involved in selling and issuing air tickets, where any change in statutory charges can directly affect ticket pricing and customer communication.

Implications for travel agents

For travel agents, the amendment does not, by itself, require agents to apply higher Air Passenger Service Charge rates.

Agents should therefore exercise caution when communicating the development to clients or incorporating any new charge into ticket quotations. A reported change in the law should not automatically be treated as a change in the amount payable by passengers.

Any amendment to the applicable passenger service charge rates must be formally effected through the appropriate legal and regulatory process.

The distinction also matters when explaining ticket costs to travelers. Where passengers have seen reports of a possible increase, agents can clarify that the newly enacted amendment concerns the administration and distribution of the existing charge, and not an increase in the statutory rate.

Revised revenue distribution framework

Under the amended framework, revenue generated from the Air Passenger Service Charge will continue to support key institutions within Kenya’s aviation, tourism and related sectors. At the same time, the legislation provides for how the proceeds are to be remitted to the respective beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries include institutions responsible for airport infrastructure and operations, civil aviation regulation, meteorological services and tourism development.

The change therefore has implications beyond ticketing, particularly for the institutions that rely on passenger service charge revenues to support their respective mandates.

The amendment provides a revised mechanism for ensuring that the funds collected are distributed to the designated beneficiaries in accordance with the law.

Industry urged to distinguish between rate and administration

The development highlights the importance of distinguishing between a change to the passenger service charge rate and a change to the way the existing charge is administered or distributed.

While both may arise through amendments to the same legislation, they have different implications for passengers and the travel trade.

In this case, the enacted amendment changes the revenue framework without changing the statutory amount passengers must pay.

Travel agents and other industry stakeholders should therefore rely on formal regulatory communication when deciding whether to reflect any new passenger charge in fares, quotations, or customer invoices.

Africa’s tourism sector is posting some of its strongest numbers in years, with fresh data from East and Southern Africa this month pointing to a broad-based recovery that is reshaping economies, job markets and destination strategy across the region.

Zanzibar leads with an 18% August jump

Zanzibar recorded an 18 percent increase in tourist arrivals in August, welcoming 124,481 visitors, up from 105,506 a year earlier. According to tourism officials, Europe remained the dominant source market, accounting for 72,304 visitors or 58.1 percent of all arrivals, while Africa followed with 24.5 percent and Asia with 11.5 percent. Italy, the UK, Germany, France and Kenya rounded out the top five source countries. Visitors are also staying longer, with the average stay holding at eight days and more than 83 percent of visitors staying between one and nine days. A local economist attributed the growth to sustained infrastructure investment and continued peace and security on the islands.

Kenya’s arrivals climb 15.3%, tourism now worth 7% of GDP

Kenya’s tourism sector also had a standout year. The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife’s August 2026 report showed international arrivals rising 15.3 percent to 2.79 million in FY2025/26, up from 2.42 million the previous year, adding roughly 370,000 visitors. Domestic tourism grew in tandem, with resident bed-nights up 13.8 percent to 5.7 million, aided by the government’s “Tembea Kenya” campaign encouraging local travel. Officials say the sector now contributes approximately KSh1.2 trillion to the economy — about 7 percent of GDP — and supports an estimated 1.7 million jobs, more than 8 percent of national employment. The ministry credited stronger destination marketing, new airline routes and Kenya’s electronic travel authorization system for the gains, while noting that budget absorption for tourism projects fell to around 60 percent, a challenge officials say could slow further infrastructure gains.

South Africa: 5.58 million visitors in H1 2026, African arrivals outpacing overseas markets

South Africa’s numbers reinforce the continent-wide trend. Between January and June 2026, the country welcomed 5,584,473 international tourists, a 12.3 percent year-on-year increase. Notably, arrivals from other African countries grew even faster, at 14.3 percent, while overseas tourism expanded 5.6 percent. Analysts point to South Africa’s established airport, hotel and conference infrastructure across Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban as a platform for growth beyond leisure travel, increasingly positioning the country to compete for business and incentive tourism as well.

Mauritius eyes the Gulf after a 10.5% jump in Middle East arrivals

Mauritius is banking on the Middle East to diversify its visitor base. Data from the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority showed Middle East arrivals rising about 10.5 percent between January and July 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. Following the increase, the authority plans to join the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai alongside roughly 20 Mauritian tourism sector partners, part of a push to build deeper Gulf connections. Air links are already substantial: more than 20 weekly flights currently connect the Gulf to Mauritius, largely via Dubai and Jeddah. Officials see the Middle East as a way to reduce reliance on Mauritius’s traditional European markets.

A regional pattern emerges

Taken together, the figures point to a consistent story: African destinations are not just recovering post-pandemic demand but actively diversifying their source markets — Zanzibar deepening its European base while gaining African visitors, Kenya balancing international growth with a domestic tourism boom, South Africa drawing more visitors from within the continent, and Mauritius pushing hard into the Gulf. With major trade events like the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai this month, and tourism ministries citing improved air connectivity, digital visa systems, and infrastructure investment as key drivers, the region appears positioned for continued growth into the final quarter of 2026 — though officials in Kenya and elsewhere caution that budget execution and infrastructure delivery remain the key risks to sustaining momentum.

East Africa is emerging as one of the strongest aviation-growth regions in Africa, with airline capacity expanding faster than the continental average and a series of new international connections strengthening links between the region, Asia, and the Middle East.

The shift is reflected in the latest WTM Africa industry data, which puts Eastern Africa’s aviation-capacity growth at 24.3%. That compares with a 13.7% increase across Africa, making Eastern Africa one of the clearest growth markets in the continent’s aviation network.

The expansion is being led by the region’s two largest aviation markets, Ethiopia and Kenya, while destinations such as Zanzibar are attracting additional international connectivity.

Eastern Africa Outpaces the Continent

Africa’s scheduled airline capacity reached 182.4 million departure seats in the first 10 months of 2026, up 13.7% from the comparable period in 2025.

International capacity accounted for 129.5 million seats, representing an 18.6% increase. Eastern Africa recorded approximately 46.5 million departure seats, with capacity growing by 24.3%.

The regional performance is particularly significant because growth is not evenly distributed across the continent. Central and Western Africa recorded no growth in aviation capacity over the period covered by the report.

The figures point to a concentration of aviation expansion in markets that already have established international gateways and growing tourism and business-travel demand.

Ethiopia and Kenya Drive the Expansion

Ethiopia recorded approximately 17 million departure seats, representing a 31.2% increase, while Kenya recorded 10.2 million seats, up 22.3%.

The two markets are important not only because of their domestic travel demand but because of the connecting traffic they handle.

Addis Ababa and Nairobi serve as major gateways into Eastern Africa and provide connections between African markets and long-haul destinations in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

For airlines, that hub function provides a larger addressable market than traffic originating in a single country. For travel agencies, it creates additional routing options for passengers traveling between multiple African destinations.

Addis Ababa Expands Its Continental Role

Ethiopia’s particularly strong capacity growth is reinforcing Addis Ababa’s position as one of Africa’s principal aviation hubs.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport handled about 2.29 million available seats in July 2026, making it the continent’s second-largest airport by scheduled airline capacity that month.

Its traffic mix also demonstrates the airport’s role beyond the Ethiopian market. Around 46% of its capacity was intra-African, while 44% was intercontinental.

That combination allows Addis Ababa to function simultaneously as an African regional gateway and as a bridge between the continent and overseas markets.

The strengthening of China–Addis Ababa connectivity adds another dimension to that network, particularly as African tourism and business markets seek stronger links with Asia.

Nairobi Remains a Key Regional Gateway

Kenya’s 22.3% capacity growth places the country among the major contributors to Africa’s aviation expansion.

Nairobi’s role is particularly important for East Africa because Jomo Kenyatta International Airport connects Kenya’s domestic and regional markets with a substantial long-haul network.

The combination of international airlines, regional carriers and connections into neighboring countries gives Nairobi a role in distributing passengers beyond Kenya itself.

For the travel trade, that connectivity supports itineraries that combine Kenya with Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and other destinations in the region rather than treating each market as a separate long-haul journey.

Zanzibar Attracts More International Capacity

The growth story is also visible at destination level.

Zanzibar has attracted increased attention from international airlines, with carriers including Qatar Airways and EgyptAir strengthening the island’s connections. The expansion adds to Zanzibar’s established links with major international aviation markets and increases the number of ways travelers can reach the destination.

The island’s position within the wider East African tourism circuit also gives the additional capacity significance beyond Zanzibar itself. International visitors can combine beach tourism with safaris and other experiences on mainland Tanzania and in neighboring East African markets.

For airlines and travel sellers, this creates opportunities to build more varied regional itineraries around the additional international access.

Asia Becomes More Accessible Through East Africa

The expansion is not confined to Europe and the Middle East.

China–Addis Ababa connectivity is strengthening the eastern side of Africa’s international aviation network, giving travelers from Asian markets another major African gateway.

Addis Ababa’s existing hub structure means additional long-haul connections can feed into a wider network of African destinations rather than serving Ethiopia alone.

That matters commercially for inbound tourism because connectivity is one of the practical constraints on selling multi-country African itineraries. A traveler arriving through one major gateway needs reliable onward connections if the journey is to extend beyond the first destination.

Capacity Growth Creates More Options for the Trade

For travel agencies, the significance of the numbers is ultimately in the additional combinations they make possible.

More seats, additional frequencies, and new international routes give agents more options when constructing itineraries, particularly for passengers combining several African destinations.

The expansion can also change how destinations are packaged. A market that previously required a less convenient connection may become easier to include when an airline adds a direct service or when a regional hub increases its connecting capacity.

That makes airline capacity a distribution issue as much as an aviation statistic.

East Africa’s Aviation Network Is Getting Denser

The 24.3% growth in Eastern Africa therefore sits within a broader change in the region’s aviation geography.

Ethiopia is expanding at more than 30%, Kenya at more than 20%, while Zanzibar is attracting additional international links. At the same time, Addis Ababa and Nairobi continue to provide the region’s strongest hub infrastructure.

The result is a denser network connecting East Africa internally and with major markets outside the continent.

With Eastern Africa growing almost twice as fast as Africa’s overall aviation-capacity rate, the region is increasingly standing out as one of the continent’s principal aviation-growth stories — not simply through more seats, but through the expansion of the routes, hubs and connections that determine how travelers move across Africa.