Africa's tourism recovery is lagging and costing around $60 billion in revenue

A recent report warns that Africa's tourism recovery is trailing, with international arrivals only reaching 81% of pre-pandemic levels

A recent report has highlighted how Africa's tourism recovery is lagging behind, leading to a missed revenue opportunity of around $60 billion.

The report, 2025 State of the African Industry Report: Ignite Africa!, was unveiled at WTM Africa and focused on how the continent is neglecting rapidly expanding global markets and underserved traveler segments.

While African tourism boards are concentrating on familiar, Western visitors from Europe and the US, this segment's recovery is slower, reports Daily Express UK.

In contrast, outbound travel from regions like the Middle East and India is booming, increasing at twice the global rate, but African destinations aren't capitalizing on this socioeconomic shift.

This disparity is crucial because travelers from the Middle East, for instance, are known to spend up to $15,000 per trip, in stark contrast to the average tourist.

Additionally, the safaris in Africa are priced 35% to 50% higher than comparable experiences elsewhere, which might deter tourists.

This isn't due to price gouging, but rather structural costs like airfare in Africa being 45% more expensive, currencies fluctuating more, and operational risk remaining high throughout the year.

The report also touched upon the importance of accessibility for neurodivergent travelers, a global market valued at a staggering $60 billion (44.9 billion).

Despite Africa's natural suitability for low-stimulation experiences, offerings for this market are limited, presenting a missed opportunity for attracting a unique and valuable travel segment.

Furthermore, David Frost from SATSA expressed concern about the lack of mid-market travelers.

"The mid-market traveller, the kind who would hire a car, explore the country, and spread their spend, is missing from our recovery," said Frost.

"Without them, geographic spread suffers, and we stay stuck at 2.2 million arrivals. If Cape Town and top-end Kruger lodges are running at nearly 100% capacity in high season, where will future growth go unless we rebuild distribution?"

Despite the optimism surrounding AI's potential to revolutionize tourism, with 98% of travel executives in agreement, real-world challenges like fuel shortages at major airports and the elimination of 326 flight procedures threaten these digital advancements.

However, the report does highlight certain areas of success. Kenya has already outperformed its 2019 numbers by 34%, and South Africa shows an 81% overall recovery, with Cape Town and the premium Kruger lodges experiencing over 100% recovery, often operating at full capacity during peak seasons.

Megan De Jager, portfolio director at Africa Travel Week, shared her enthusiasm about the industry's response to the report.

"The response since the report launched has been overwhelming," said De Jager. "This isn't just another trend wrap-up. We're asking uncomfortable but necessary questions."

Michelle Gounden from Skift Advisory pointed out a competitive issue, stating, "Too many African destinations are fighting for the same shrinking pie."

Gounden suggested, "The real opportunity lies in diversification."