From the US presidency, to Brexit, to continued security threats and political upheaval, the world is a more complex and challenging place today than it was this time last year. Just two years ago, few would’ve believed we’d be talking about Africa’s emergence as a safe haven for global travellers, yet across the continent, a combination of factors is leading to reports of double digit growth. Available data for Africa points to an 8% rebound in inbound tourism in 2016, adding 4 million arrivals to reach 58 million overall. Sub-Saharan Africa led the growth at 11%, easily outstripping inbound growth figures of the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Adding to the good news, luxury travel markets throughout the continent are experiencing uplift as the surge in demand for 'transformative travel' experiences continues to propel Africa into the global spotlight. The Deloitte Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2016 report predicts air traffic will double over the next 15 years, driven largely by an increase in travellers from emerging markets. Crucially, these travellers are much younger than travellers from developed market countries and a report we read this week believes these two factors represent a huge opportunity for African luxury.
Is transformational travel the trend Africa has been waiting for? Time to get a View...