The global tourism sector is rebounding at a faster pace than expected this year, despite macroeconomic and geopolitical tensions, but environmental sustainability must be central to its recovery.

That is according to the latest global tourism outlook revealed by the World Travel and Tourism Council on Wednesday at its annual global summit, held for the first time in Africa, in the Rwandan capital Kigali.

Total tourism arrivals worldwide are expected to grow 5 per cent in 2023, compared to 2019, according to WTTC’s latest forecast in partnership with Oxford Economics. That is an improvement on the 2 per cent the organisation predicted in March.

“Despite economic and geopolitical turmoil in 2023, we’re seeing that this year so far is showing a faster recovery than our initial expectations,” Julia Simpson, the WTTC’s president and chief executive, said at the summit’s opening press briefing.

“Our previous predictions in March have now been exceeded by travel and tourism’s current performance … every single region is growing faster than we had originally predicted.

“Once again, our sector has shown its true resilience and grit in the reopening after the pandemic.”

Tourism arrivals into the Middle East are set to rise 28 per cent this year, from their pre-Covid levels, the October forecast showed. The organisation in March had predicted 22 per cent growth.

Asked specifically about the impact of the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza wars on the recovery of global tourism, Ms Simpson said: “All I can say is that the WTTC, as an organisation that represents travel and tourism, we stand for peace, we stand for building bridges and we stand for connecting people.”

Airlines in the Middle East have said that the Israel-Gaza war has led to a drop in air travel to the region, as the conflict rages on amid international calls to halt the fighting to ease the humanitarian disaster in the enclave.

Challenges include costly flight diversions for security reasons, steep fuel bills and a drop in international visitors.

The global travel and tourism sector contributed to more than 10 per cent of the global gross domestic product in 2019, with the industry worth $10 trillion.

It lost about 50 per cent of its value during the Covid-19 pandemic, making it one of the hardest hit sectors.

So far this year, the sector has nearly recovered to its pre-Covid levels, according to the WTTC.

Travel and tourism is expected to contribute 9.2 per cent to the global GDP at a value of $9.5 trillion in 2023, just 5 per cent below its 2019 levels. That is a 23.3 per cent year-on-year increase from the $7.7 trillion recorded in 2022.

“We are very resilient, we come back. It’s deep in our DNA to travel and to connect,” Ms. Simpson said.

The industry has not fully rebounded to 2019 levels yet partly because China’s full recovery potential has yet to be realised, Ms. Simpson said.

“The reason we’re not quite there is that China, which is one of the biggest travel and tourism economies, only opened this year and is still going through those opening processes of making sure people can travel and get visas,” she said.

“We’ve also had some issues around labour shortages, which were short-term, but hampered a little bit the recovery. But we’re practically there.”

In the next 10 years, the value of the travel and tourism industry is going to increase to reach about $15.5 trillion, according to Ms. Simpson.

But rebuilding the sector following the pandemic-induced turmoil must also take into account its impact on the environment, she said.

Travel and tourism was responsible for 8.1 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, 10.6 per cent of total global energy and 0.9 per cent of freshwater use, according to a study revealed last year by the WTTC and Sustainable Tourism Global Centre, part of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Tourism.

“Travel and tourism is recovering but as we know, sustainability needs to be at its centre,” Ms Simpson said. “Growing back better means growing sustainably.”

Source: The National News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 24 – The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) expects a major boost in Kenya’s tourism sector ahead of Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s visit to Kenya.

KTB, in a statement, said that the impending visit will create a buzz for the country, attracting attention from tourists and investors in the UK and beyond.

“This visit will undoubtedly increase the number of UK tourists coming to Kenya and will allow us to show the best of Kenya to people in the Commonwealth and around the world,” said KTB acting CEO John Chirchir.

The UK royalties will, among other places, visit the coastal city of Mombasa, a move that will boost the area’s economy that is reliant on tourism.

“At the coast we are delighted to be hosting Their Majesties, it is a fantastic opportunity to show what the Coast has to offer, from marine conservations to luxury hotels, the region’s largest port to unparalleled sandy beaches and demonstrates the importance of coastal tourism to the broader sector,” said Kenya Coast Tourism Association (KCTA) chairperson Victor Shitakha.

According to KTB, Kenya received 101,167 visitors from the UK this year, up from 83,126 arrivals in the same period last year, an increase of 21.7 percent.

The British High Commission in Nairobi said the King and Queen will visit Kenya from October 31 to November 3, 2023.

Source: Capitalfm.

Africans are yet to understand the full extent of their potential as a united force and embracing the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agenda could just be what the continent needed to make this realisation. That’s according to Susan Akporiaye, President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies.

She was speaking at the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum in Gaborone Botswana where stakeholders in the industry, including government officials, have gathered to devise ways to improve intra-Africa travel and trade.

“I know this continent has so much wealth, so, so much that we don’t have an idea or have a clue of how powerful we are in Africa and if we can just … I don’t know how to call it, maybe bring our pride down … we are too scared of each other. We are so, so scared of each other,” she says.

Cultural stereotypes among Africans, she says, are holding Africans back and maybe something Africans may need to overcome before the AfCFTA agenda is fully embraced.

“The average Nigerian believes a South African doesn’t like them, that they hate them,” she laments.

AfCFTA is an economic integration programme launched by the African Union in 2018 to make improve intra-Africa trade having been ratified by 47 of the 54 African countries. It intends to achieve its goals of increasing intra-African trade and fostering industrial growth by establishing a single market that facilitates the unrestricted movement of people, investment, goods, and services across the African continent.

The African tourism industry is looking to the adoption of this programme to improve tourism on the continent and it has dominated discussions at the 6th tourism forum currently under way in Gaborone.

Among the suggestions put on the table is for Africa to create its own travel culture, which should possibly include getting rid of passports. That’s according to Kenya Tourism Federation CEO Susan Ongalo.

Source: SABC News

East African countries are pulling together to offer tourists a more comprehensive and captivating experience by integrating their tourism destinations. This collaboration was announced during the Oromia Tourism Week 2023 held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The initiative is targeted at providing tourists the opportunity to explore a variety of destinations within the East African corridor, thus creating a more wholesome and enriching experience.

Aiming for Attractive, Integrated Tourism Packages

Sarah Kirenga, a representative of the Rwandan Chamber of Tourism, explained the importance of this regional tourism integration. According to her, this collaboration will facilitate the sale of complete and attractive tourism packages, a development that will significantly enhance the regional tourism sector. The representative further emphasized that this integration would provide a platform to create a network in the tourism ecosystem, promote a variety of tourism products, and boost regional tourism.

East Africa: A Region of Diverse Attractions

The East African region is globally recognized for its unique natural and cultural tourist attractions, many of which are inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. In addition to these, the region is also home to popular safari destinations with an abundance of fascinating historical and archaeological sites. Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo – countries within this region – have already begun marketing their tourist destinations as a unified region, offering tourists a diverse range of attractions.

Boosting Intra-Travel and Implementing Regional Marketing Plans

Anthony Ochieng, a market development representative of the Ugandan Tourism Board, stressed the necessity to focus on regional tourism rather than individual destinations. He stated that the countries within the East African region are cooperating to promote intra-travel and implement the East African tourism marketing plan. The intention is to market East Africa as a region and not just individual destinations. Under this plan, tourists can experience a variety of attractions in different countries, such as ‘The Big Five’ (lion, leopard, cape buffalo, rhinoceros, and African elephant) in Uganda.

Oromia Tourism Week: Promoting Tourism Potential

The Oromia Tourism Week serves as an annual event that aims to showcase the unique tourism offerings and experiences available in the Oromia region of Ethiopia. This event brings together tourism stakeholders, government representatives, industry professionals, and visitors from around the world to explore and appreciate the region’s vast potential as a top tourism destination. It acts as a significant platform to highlight the benefits of regional tourism and promote the integration of various tourist destinations within East Africa.

Investment and Future Prospects

With East Africa’s steady growth as a tourism destination, investment in world-class tourist facilities is becoming increasingly essential. The East Africa destination tourism insight market report indicates that the region has the potential to become a competitive tourism destination in the future, provided it attracts suitable investment and adequate infrastructural development. The report also highlights the region’s key selling point – its wildlife – which is also under threat due to factors such as habitat loss and poaching. However, numerous conservation initiatives have been established to protect these species, indicating a growing awareness of the need to protect the region’s wildlife.

The integration of East African countries to enhance regional tourism is a strategic initiative that will not only boost the tourism sector of the individual countries but will also create a more enriching and diverse experience for tourists. With adequate investment, sustainable conservation initiatives, and an effective regional marketing plan, East Africa can evolve into an attractive and competitive tourism destination in the global tourism market.

Source: bnn

International tourism has continued to recover from the worst crisis in its history as arrival numbers reached 84% of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2023, according to the latest data from UNWTO. The Middle East, Europe and Africa lead the global sector’s rebound.

Tourism on Track for Full Recovery

Tourism demand continues to show remarkable resilience and sustained recovery, even in the face of economic and geopolitical challenges. The new issue of the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer tracks the sector’s recovery over the course of 2023 up to the end of July. The UNWTO Barometer shows:

• By the end of July, international tourist arrivals reached 84% of pre-pandemic levels.
• 700 million tourists travelled internationally between January and July 2023, 43% more than in the same months of 2022.
• July was the busiest month with 145 million international travellers recorded, about 20% of the seven-month total.

UNWTO data once again shows how tourism is recovering strongly in every part of the world. But as our sector recovers, it also needs to adapt

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “UNWTO data once again shows how tourism is recovering strongly in every part of the world. But as our sector recovers, it also needs to adapt. The extreme weather events we have witnessed over recent months as well as the critical challenges of managing increasing tourism flows underline the need to build a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient sector and ensure recovery goes hand-in-hand with rethinking of our sector.”

Results by Region

All world regions enjoyed strong rates of tourism recovery over the first seven months of 2023, driven by demand for international travel from several large source markets:

• The Middle East reported the best results in January-July 2023, with arrivals 20% above pre-pandemic levels. The region continues to be the only to exceed 2019 levels so far.
• Europe, the world’s largest destination region, reached 91% of pre-pandemic levels, supported by robust intra-regional demand and travel from the United States.
• Africa recovered 92% of pre-crisis visitors this seven-month period and the Americas 87% according to available data.
• In Asia and the Pacific, recovery accelerated to 61% of pre-pandemic arrival levels after the opening of many destinations and source markets at the end of 2022 and earlier this year.

The UNWTO World Tourism Barometer contains results by region, sub-region and country, including best-performing destinations in terms of international arrivals and receipts over the first seven months of the year.

Looking ahead

These results show international tourism remains well on track to reach 80% to 95% of pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Prospects for September-December 2023 point to continued recovery, according to the latest UNWTO Confidence Index, though at a more moderate pace following the peak travel season of June-August. These results will be driven by the still pent-up demand and increased air connectivity particularly in Asia and the Pacific where recovery is still subdued.

• The reopening of China and other Asian markets and destinations is expected to continue boosting travel both within the region and to other parts of the world.
• The challenging economic environment continues to be a critical factor in the effective recovery of international tourism in 2023, according to UNWTO’s Panel of Experts.

Persisting inflation and rising oil prices have translated into higher transport and accommodations costs. This could weigh on spending patterns over the remainder of the year, with tourists increasingly seeking value for money, travelling closer to home and making shorter trips.

Source: Mirage news

The Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) is in talks with the Immigration Department about allowing international tourists to fly directly to tourism destinations.

According to the Uganda Tourism Board, which is tasked with marketing the country beyond its borders, the move will save tourists time and money while also making transit easier. Currently, all international arrivals must first land at Entebbe International Airport to be cleared to enter the country before continuing on to their destinations.

Lilly Ajarova, the chief executive Officer of the Uganda Tourism Board, said the new arrangement, if given the green light, will allow tourists to reach their destinations faster and more conveniently.

Ajarova continued by saying that she has heard complaints, particularly from local tour guides, who claim that the delays have cost them a lot of time and money.

“The trend in international travel has changed; now, people want to travel light to explore as much as they can in as little time.  Our air connectivity faces many difficulties. Air connectivity is crucial if we are to make significant progress in growing the number of visitors to this nation and the revenue from tourism, according to Ajarova.

She claimed that even though Uganda has the largest population of mountain gorillas and the costs are lower, the country has not been able to generate much income from them due to the distances and poor roads needed to get to the tourist destinations.

“We are losing a lot of revenue from our Gorilla tracking. For all these years we have been earning from Gorilla tracking, we have never reached 100 percent occupancy, where we sell all our Gorilla permits. Our rates are half the rates of our competitors, and the major reason is that we don’t have direct flights to Bwindi or Kisoro. Everyone has to go through Entebbe before they can take local chartered flights,” she said.

According to data from the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), in 2019, the airport safely facilitated 32,798 aircraft movements. The number reduced to 14,421 in 2020 because of COVID-19 lockdown, increasing to 21,584 in 2021 and 28,985 aircraft movements in 2022.

Ajarova said that while the figures are steadily recovering, the immigration department must move out of its comfort zone to extend visitor clearance to other aerodromes so that tourists can directly fly to such destinations and get cleared there.

Herbert Byaruhanga, the chairperson of the Uganda Tourism Association, said they have been crying out to the government to open up facilities so that tourists can land anywhere in the country and get cleared at their points of entry, but not only at Entebbe Airport.

“Why do we have to struggle to get clearance? Make the whole of East Africa local and allow people to fly visitors from Kenya, Tanzania, or any other country in the region directly so that more numbers can come in,” he said.

Source: News central

• Tanzania’s tourism industry is staging a comeback, with earnings surging from $1.95 billion in July 2022 to $2.99 billion in July 2023.
• Tourist arrivals increased by 37.2%, reaching a record 1,658,043 visitors.
• Europe and the United States remain primary sources of tourists visiting Tanzania for leisure and holidays.

Tanzania’s tourism industry is making a remarkable comeback nearly four years after its revenues plummeted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recent data from the Bank of Tanzania reveals that tourism has staged an impressive recovery, contributing $2.99 billion to foreign exchange earnings in July 2023, compared to $1.95 billion in July 2022.

According to the Bank of Tanzania, this represents a 33% surge in service receipts, reaching $5.49 billion in July 2023, up from $4.12 billion in July 2022.

The bank also noted that this resurgence in tourism and increased earnings from gold have played a pivotal role in boosting Tanzania’s service earnings to over $5 billion for the first time in its history.

In 2019, Tanzania’s tourism sector generated approximately $2.52 billion, but by December 2020, its earnings had dropped significantly to just $1 billion.

Gold emerged as the country’s primary foreign exchange earner during this period, generating $2.958 billion in December 2020.

The recovery in the tourism sector is highlighted by a 37.2% increase in foreign arrivals, totalling 1,658,043 visitors during the year—reaching an all-time high.

The previous record for tourism earnings in Tanzania was $2.5 billion, achieved in 2019 when the country welcomed 1,527,230 tourists.

Europe and the United States remain primary sources of tourists visiting Tanzania for leisure and holidays, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Source: Business Insider Africa

It is Kenya’s turn to host the 3^rd edition of the East Africa Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE) slated for November as the country roots for regional tourism.

While unveiling the event at KICC set for November 20^th -22^nd 2023, Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza at the same time announced that the event will be held alongside the annual Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE).

She said the twin tourism fairs will enhance Kenya’s and the region’s visibility, forge partnerships and enhance investments in the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors.

 “This year, we shall be integrating the Magical Kenya Tourism Expo (MKTE) and the East African Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE) seamlessly, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to unity and a shared vision within the East African Community,” Malonza said.

“During this period, Kenya will host regional tourism stakeholders and players in the sector. The events provide a platform for the travel trade in the region to showcase and network with the world, my ministry is are dedicated to promoting tourism within the region.”

She added that the tourism sector continues to play a key role in enabling the regional economies.

 “By creating opportunities towards building inclusive growth and employment, EARTE and MKTE 2023 will allow us to keep industry stakeholders informed on progresses made towards industry growth and the new strategies, programs and partnerships available in the market.” Said the CS.

Malonza also emphasized that expos form an integral part of the tourism sector and that it is imperative that countries work in collaboration with their respective regional partners in an effort to strengthen tourism.

The Principal Secretary East Africa Community Abdi Dubat said: “The tourism sector contributes an average 9.5 percent of the East Africa region’s GDP and average 7.1 percent of employment opportunities in the  region translating to over four million jobs.

The East Africa Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE) and the Magical Kenya Tourism Expo (MKTE) presents us with an opportunity to share our unique and common heritage to the world.

The region is ready to share and promote quality tourism to the world, we now have greater potential for intra Africa tourism which we should continue to advocate for” Said Dubat.

On his part, Principal Secretary for Tourism John Olotuaa said “The hosting the two epos is a genuine manifestation of our commitment to promote intra-regional tourism flow across our borders. We are confident that this platform will provide opportunities for consolidation of relations among our partners across Africa, Europe and beyond. These relations will go a long way towards increasing tourism receipts from key and emerging source markets,” she said.

The East Africa Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE), is an annual regional travel fair showcasing the region’s diverse tourism offering to consumers, and trade, hosted by the East African Community partner states on a rotational basis.

The inaugural Regional Tourism Expo was hosted by the United Republic of Tanzania (URT) in October 2021 in Arusha, while the second edition was hosted by the Republic of Burundi in September 2022 in Bujumbura.

The Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) is Kenya’s annual flagship travel trade fair that brings together tourism stakeholders, partners and media from some of Kenya’s key source markets in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

The two expos have been combined into one event, creating more value and enhancing the level of engagement at the show for all the participants.

Kenya Tourism Board Ag. CEO John Chirchir commented: “We are delighted to be hosting these two expos because it gives us an opportunity to profile Kenya as a unique tourist destination globally.

The fairs will also provide an opportunity for us to consolidate our position as a premier Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) destination in the region, which is key in efforts to grow and maintain our global share of the international tourism market.”

Source: Capital Fm

Kenya is targeting a bigger share of revenue from Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), a lucrative part of the tourism mix across the globe.

The Cabinet Secretary, Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, Peninah Malonza, says that the Government will spearhead bids to host at least 10 regional and international conventions in Kenya every year, and adds that the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, KICC, a premier event location, will play a key role in this drive.

The CS observes that the 2022 International Congress and Convention Association Destination Performance Index report reveals that Kenya ranked second in Africa as an ideal location for hosting association meetings.

The MICE sector is an important contributor to the Kenyan economy. According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the tourism sector, including MICE, contributed 8.8 percent to Kenya’s Gross Domestic Product in 2019. Furthermore, the MICE sector grew by 5.5 percent in 2019, generating Sh115 billion (approximately USD 1.05 billion) in revenue.

The global MICE market, which involves travel for business-oriented purposes, was valued at USD 876.42 billion in 2022 and is expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of 7.5 percent from 2023 to 2030. MICE is a niche of the travel and tourism industry.

Ms Malonza explains that goal of MICE is to provide an enhanced, customised hospitality setting that brings together top professionals from various industries.

She notes that the market is benefiting from an increase in the number of companies worldwide that offer MICE services. This is contributing to the sector’s growth.

Says the CS: “Kenya aims to leverage its distinctive attributes to maintain a substantial portion of the market share in the industry. Improved destination management, with the assistance of KICC, which has been entrusted with the responsibility, can facilitate the achievement of this goal.”

Since its inception on September 11, 1973, KICC has been the preferred venue for meetings and conventions in East and Central Africa, and in fact gave birth to Kenya’s MICE industry. Through it, Kenya has hosted numerous high-profile conventions, personalities, signature events and even signed treaties and made declarations – KICC recently hosted the Africa Climate Summit that attracted more than 12,000 regional and international delegates and several heads of state, among other dignitaries.

Ms Malonza says her ministry is grateful to President William Ruto for spearheading the bid to host this important global conference in Kenya.

Such conferences and events are the surest way of raising Kenya’s profile and positioning it as a preferred destination for MICE.

The CS further notes that KICC is the only purpose-built convention centre in East Africa. KICC was designed by Norwegian architec, Karl Henrik Nostvik, in 1967.

The design structure combined the understanding of traditions, aspirations and environment of the people of Kenya with the needs of modern conference organisers in terms of space, administration and auxiliary services and requirements.

The Convention Centre and the Conference tourism sector in Kenya has undergone various milestones and memorable events have taken place at the KICC since 1973, 50 golden years later.

After its recent refurbishment, KICC is primed for bigger meetings in its next 50 years.

Source: Business Daily