Unlocking Opportunities for Travel & Tourism Growth in Africa
November 2023
Policy Guidelines
Policy Guidelines
In 2022, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to Africa’s GDP reached US$168 **2022 **billion, representing 5.9% of the regional economy. It remained 9.7% below its pre-pandemic level in 2019.
In the same year, the sector supported nearly 22 million jobs across the continent and was short of its 2019 level by 12.7%.
Seychelles was the country most reliant on Travel & Tourism, as the sector’s contribution accounted for nearly 53% of the country’s GDP in 2019. Seychelles was followed by Mauritius and Cabo Verde.
These three countries also derived the highest shares of their Travel & Tourism revenues from international visitors.
Between 2000 and 2019, investment into Africa’s Travel & Tourism increased by three and half times, compared to doubling at the global level.
According to the current trajectory, in the next decade, 2023 to 2033, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to the African economy is set to rise at an annual rate of 5.1% - faster than the 3.1% annual increase projected for the wider regional economy. In the same period, the sector is forecast to create 12.7 million new jobs.
The 1.3% annual increase in greenhouse gas emissions by Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector between 2010 and 2019 isn’t just slower than the global average rate of 2.5% per year but also slower than the 2.7% annual expansion in the sector’s contribution to the regional economy. This suggests a decoupling of the sector’s growth from its emissions.
The sector’s greenhouse gas intensity in Africa, which measures its rate of emissions per unit of economic contribution, fell from 1.44 kg of CO2 per dollar in 2010 to 1.28 kg of CO2 per dollar in 2019.
Although Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector only accounted for 0.6% of the total water used by the global sector in 2019, 57% of it was sourced from areas classified to be “high” or “extremely high” water stress.
A scenario analysis of the implementation of a policy package aimed at improving enabling environment and air infrastructure, adopting best practice for visa facilitation, and increasing marketing for Africa as a destination revealed that by 2033, Travel & Tourism would benefit from an additional US$50 billion over the current trajectory and 6 million additional new jobs would be created.
Contents:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Economic Outlook
Environmental and Social Impact of Travel & Tourism in Africa
Challenges and Opportunities
Unlocking the Opportunity
Conclusion
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Unlocking Opportunities for Travel & Tourism Growth in Africa
November 2023
Policy Guidelines
Policy Guidelines
In 2022, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to Africa’s GDP reached US$168 **2022 **billion, representing 5.9% of the regional economy. It remained 9.7% below its pre-pandemic level in 2019.
In the same year, the sector supported nearly 22 million jobs across the continent and was short of its 2019 level by 12.7%.
Seychelles was the country most reliant on Travel & Tourism, as the sector’s contribution accounted for nearly 53% of the country’s GDP in 2019. Seychelles was followed by Mauritius and Cabo Verde.
These three countries also derived the highest shares of their Travel & Tourism revenues from international visitors.
Between 2000 and 2019, investment into Africa’s Travel & Tourism increased by three and half times, compared to doubling at the global level.
According to the current trajectory, in the next decade, 2023 to 2033, Travel & Tourism’s contribution to the African economy is set to rise at an annual rate of 5.1% - faster than the 3.1% annual increase projected for the wider regional economy. In the same period, the sector is forecast to create 12.7 million new jobs.
The 1.3% annual increase in greenhouse gas emissions by Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector between 2010 and 2019 isn’t just slower than the global average rate of 2.5% per year but also slower than the 2.7% annual expansion in the sector’s contribution to the regional economy. This suggests a decoupling of the sector’s growth from its emissions.
The sector’s greenhouse gas intensity in Africa, which measures its rate of emissions per unit of economic contribution, fell from 1.44 kg of CO2 per dollar in 2010 to 1.28 kg of CO2 per dollar in 2019.
Although Africa’s Travel & Tourism sector only accounted for 0.6% of the total water used by the global sector in 2019, 57% of it was sourced from areas classified to be “high” or “extremely high” water stress.
A scenario analysis of the implementation of a policy package aimed at improving enabling environment and air infrastructure, adopting best practice for visa facilitation, and increasing marketing for Africa as a destination revealed that by 2033, Travel & Tourism would benefit from an additional US$50 billion over the current trajectory and 6 million additional new jobs would be created.
Contents:
Executive Summary
Introduction
Economic Outlook
Environmental and Social Impact of Travel & Tourism in Africa
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