Africa’s tourism recovery remains uneven despite strong headline growth, according to the latest WTM Africa State of the Industry Report, which highlights widening gaps in aviation capacity, sustainability compliance and digital readiness across the continent.
Source: ©Blazej Lyjak via
123RFAfrica welcomed 81 million international visitors in 2025, an 8% increase and the fastest growth of any global region, while aviation capacity rose 13.7% to 182.4 million departure seats.
However, the report points to significant divergence between markets, alongside structural pressures linked to technology adoption, environmental regulation and uneven infrastructure recovery.
Strong growth masks structural imbalance
Central and Western Africa recorded 0% aviation growth, while Eastern Africa grew by 24.3%, underscoring the uneven nature of recovery across the continent.
Fewer than 5% of African hospitality properties hold third-party sustainability certification, despite the EU’s greenwashing regulations set to take effect in September 2026.
At the same time, 72% of Gen Z travellers now use AI to plan travel, raising concerns that operators without machine-readable inventory risk exclusion from digital discovery channels.
“This report explores current themes and trends,” said Olivia Gradidge, Marketing Manager, WTM Africa & ILTM Africa. “Including trust, AI and travel tech, traveller psychology, sustainability and authenticity.”
From data to operational pressure
Commissioned by Big Ambitions, RX Africa’s content, communications and marketing agency, the report draws on insights from more than 25 industry leaders, academics and practitioners across the continent.
Contributors include environmental expert Dr Louise de Waal, director of the Blood Lions campaign; Judy Kepher Gona, founder and executive director at Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda (STTA); and Luckson Zambuko, founder of the African Youth in Tourism and Hospitality Association.
“What struck us most when compiling this report was not the scale of the opportunity – that has always been evident – but the specificity of what is now required to capture it,” said Dorine Reinstein, content director, Big Ambitions.
“The operators and destinations that are winning in 2026 are not the ones with the best product, but the ones with the best proof. Proof of access, proof of trust, proof of sustainability, proof of welcome. That shift– from aspiration to verification – is the defining commercial reality this report addresses.”
Industry rollout and access
The full report, including a ten-point manifesto for African tourism stakeholders, is available at here and is positioned as essential reading for operators, investors, policymakers and destination marketers.
It was introduced by Carol Weaving, managing director of RX Africa, during the opening ceremony of WTM Africa on Monday, 13 April, and supported by a panel discussion on the Future Stage on Wednesday, 15 April.
The panel, sponsored by LIFT and moderated by Dorine Reinstein, included David Frost, CEO of Satsa; Judy Kepher Gona, director of sustainable travel & tourism Africa; Kwakye Donkor, CEO of Africa Tourism Partners; Liesel van Zyl, head of positive impact and product development at Go2Africa; and Rashid Toefy, deputy director-general for economic operations at the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism.
WTM Africa says the findings underline the need for coordinated action across government, industry and investors to improve resilience, digital capability and sustainable growth across African tourism markets.
