The great tourism potential in Africa: figures and perspectives – Although tourism has been declining since 2020, it has held up fairly well in Africa in 2022. Some destinations are doing better than others are. Egypt, South Africa, Morocco… The most popular African destinations in 2022.

The great tourism potential in Africa: figures and perspectives

Although tourism has been declining since 2020, it has held up fairly well in Africa in 2022. Some destinations are doing better than others are. Egypt, South Africa, Morocco… The most popular African destinations in 2022.

Country Brand Ranking Tourism 2022-2023

According to the Spanish consulting firm Bloom Consulting, specialized in Nation Branding, Egypt is the most attractive African country for tourists. This is what the company concludes in its report Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition 2022-2023. The study combines factors such as economic performance, nation branding strategies and the online presence of different countries to assess their attractiveness to tourists from around the world.

The standout factor for Egypt, which dominates the African ranking for the second year in a row, is its online presence, especially on social networks. The country’s online strategy even allowed it to climb into the top 25 of global attractiveness for the first time in its history, despite the damage to its image and the terrorist attacks.

Behind Egypt, other regulars in the continental top 10, South Africa, Morocco and Mauritius have kept their rankings for the 2021 edition.

Tanzania, meanwhile, has improved its ranking. This change is interesting when we note that in recent years Tanzania has mainly based the promotion of its country on the dissemination of messages about its natural landscapes and culture via social networks.

Another interesting progression is that of Nigeria, which gained five places just by improving its promotion on social networks.

Africa’s great tourism potential

Africa is increasingly popular with international travelers. According to figures from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the African continent has seen a 171% increase in international tourist arrivals from January to July 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. A development that has been observed for several years already. At the end of 2018, the continent had recorded 67 million visitors, an increase of 7% compared to 6% globally, according to UNWTO data published in January 2019.

In terms of tourism, sub-Saharan Africa, which attracted only 6.7 million visitors in 1990, welcomed 33.8 million in 2012. In 2019, the sector accounted for about 7% of GDP and contributed $169 billion to the continent’s economy. Tourism can be a powerful factor in economic development, provided it is managed sustainably, and cushions shocks due to hazards such as the Covid 19 pandemic.

Tourism stimulates the economy when environmental, social, economic and other constraints are taken into account. Moreover, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), 32.9 million jobs will be created by the travel and tourism industry over the next ten years. Fully aware of the assets of the tourism sector, African governments are multiplying initiatives to promote tourism as a development factor. For Walter Mzembi, president of the World Tourism Network Africa, it is on the solidarity lever that should be activated.

Statistics from the World Tourism Organization

In its report, the World Tourism Organization revealed that Africa (Excluding Egypt, counted in the middle east zone) received 70 million tourists in 2019, up 2% from 2018), compared to 4% globally. The continent realized tourist receipts of 38 billion dollars in 2019, up 1% from 2018, against 3% globally.

In the African ranking, we find Morocco consolidating its position, South Africa with visa facilitation, Egypt and Tunisia that have made remarkable progress.

The main tourist destinations in Africa are (non exhaustive list):

• Egypt (the Pyramids of Egypt at Giza, Cairo, Luxor, The Sphynx, Alexandria, Aswan, The Red Sea, Quoseir, Hurghada, Sinai),

• Morocco ( Fez, Agadir, Marrakech, Essaouira, Volubilis, Meknes, Ouarzazate, Erfoud, Merzouga, Rabat, Tangier, the desert…),

• Tunisia ( Djerba, tozeur, Tunis, Carthage…),

• the Victoria Falls between Zimbabwe and Zambia,

• Safari reserves in Kenya,

• South Africa and Tanzania, the island of Zanzibar,

• Senegal (Casamance, Gorée Island…),

• The Ivory Coast (Assinie, Yamoussoukro,…),

• The Sahara desert (Especially in southern Morocco, where it’s safe),

• Botswana, the Okavango delta,

Without forgetting the islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, the Seychelles and Reunion Island! There would be nearly 2000 languages on the whole continent.

You will find many proposals for stays in Africa, whether it is a club stay in Marrakech, a beach stay in Senegal or Safari in Tanzania / Zanzibar or Kenya, or lazing around in Reunion, Mauritius or Cape Verde.