Donkor: Tourism can help grow African economies, boost intra-Africa travel

Africa's tourism industry is on the rise, surpassing other regions globally in growth. As the sector continues to evolve, there is a concerted effort to promote domestic travel within the continent. Kwakye Donkor, the CEO of Africa Tourism Partners, discussed how focusing on intra-African tourism can contribute to the expansion of the industry. Africa Tourism Partners is a firm that specializes in African tourism development and investment facilitation. They provide consulting and advisory services to countries on tourism development strategies, value chain development, and marketing within the continent. They also focus on capacity building and professionalizing the sector through initiatives like the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit. Donkor emphasized the importance of positioning tourism as a key economic sector in African economies. He mentioned that while intra-African travel investment has been slow, initiatives like the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Trading Services Protocol aim to encourage African investors to invest within the continent. Donkor highlighted the need for African-born brands to invest in other African countries to create strong regional brands that can compete with global hospitality chains. However, he acknowledged that intra-African investments often tend to be smaller in scale compared to investments from outside the continent. Donkor outlined key factors that could boost tourism in Africa. He stressed the importance of national governments prioritizing tourism as a key economic sector and creating an enabling environment with adequate infrastructure and services. He noted that countries with successful tourism sectors usually have excellent airports and skilled service providers. Donkor also emphasized the role of the private sector in investing in the tourism industry and the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors. He highlighted Africa's youth population and their exposure to digitalization and technological innovation as potential drivers for growth in the sector. When asked about promising regions for tourism investment in Africa, Donkor identified Southern Africa, particularly South Africa and Botswana, as promising areas. He also mentioned Tanzania in East Africa, Ghana in West Africa, and Morocco and Egypt in North Africa as attractive destinations for investment. He noted that countries like Rwanda in East Africa and Angola and Nigeria in West Africa also have untapped potential for tourism development. Donkor encouraged exploring undiscovered destinations with significant growth potential. Overall, he underscored the need for strategic investments, government support, and collaboration to unlock the full potential of African tourism and drive economic growth and development.