WTM Africa 2023 shows optimism over continent’s tourism sector prospects

Africa’s travel market is open again and experiencing a boom, despite the serious damage the industry sustained due to the Covid-19 pandemic — this is a sentiment expressed by an estimated 600 exhibitors at the World Travel Market (WTM) Africa, the continent’s biggest and most important travel and tourism event that has officially opened its doors in Cape Town, South Africa.
The gathering, held from 3-5 April, is once again packed with a selection of top exhibitors, conferences, and buyers from across the continent and the world. The event saw a 35% increase compared to last year, said Carol Weaving, director of Reed Exhibition Africa, who added that WTM is “the only inbound show on the African continent and it goes to show that a lot of intra-Africa trade that is happening. Internationally you can also see the Indian Ocean here, Seychelles, Reunion, Madagascar.” With the majority of exhibitors coming from African countries, this demonstrates the growth of intra-African trade and the growing popularity of Indian Ocean destinations.
The Seychelles is focusing on promoting its cultural activities — food, music, and people as part of a new approach to tourism — hoping that this will act as a catalyst to attract more tourists and expand the country’s popularity. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe, a destination known for diverse attractions like Victoria Falls and wildlife safari, is aiming for a $5bn tourism economy by 2025.Other highlights of this year’s gathering include the Africa Tourism Investment Summit (ATIS), EQUAL Africa which brings together suppliers, buyers and brands marketing to the LGBTQ+ community, and the Responsible Tourism Africa Conference. More than 900 million tourists travelled internationally in 2022, according to the UN’s World Tourism Organization (WTO) latest data, and this year’s WTM Africa seeks to promote the continent and drive future growth to Africa’s travel and tourism market.