9 African countries driving tourism growth with reforms, investments
Following years of pandemic-related disruptions and evolving global travel trends, a new wave of investments and regulatory changes is breathing fresh life into the continent's travel and hospitality industries.
According to TTW, a leading tourism platform, these countries are not only drawing record numbers of visitors with easier visa access and expanded flight networks, but also championing the push for a unified African visa to streamline cross-border travel.
Together, they are leading a coordinated effort to make Africa more connected, accessible, and competitive, transforming the continent into a rising force in global tourism.
According to the latest World Tourism Barometer from the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Africa experienced a remarkable surge in tourism in 2024, welcoming 74 million international visitors. This marks a 7% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019 and a 12% rise over 2023,
FurtherAfrica reports that the surge in tourist arrivals has positively impacted Africa's economy, with international tourism revenues reaching $1.6 trillion in 2024.
This reflects a 3% increase from 2023 and a 4% rise compared to 2019, after adjusting for inflation and exchange rate fluctuations, highlighting the sector's growing contribution to the continent's economic recovery.
Africa's tourism drivers
According to TTW's recent report, the following nine countries in no particular order, are at the forefront of Africa's tourism drive in the first half of 2025.
No. Country Key tourism drivers
1 Kenya New Routes, Visa-Free Access and Expanded Hotel Standards
2 Senegal Direct US Flights, Hotel Growth and Simplified Entry
3 South Africa Domestic Travel, Airport Infrastructure and Backs Digital Visa Innovation
4 Ghana African Visa-Free Entry and Airport Growth While Expanding Hospitality Offerings
5 Rwanda Leads Eco-Tourism and Gorilla Trekking with Airport Expansion and Unified Visa Advocacy
6 Mauritius Attracts Long-Term Visitors with Premium Visas, Rising Hotel Demand and Island Upgrades
7 Seychelles Balances Visa-Free Access and Sustainable Tourism with Expanding Air Connectivity
8 Cabo Verde New Tourism Highs with European Air Links, Island Airport Revamps and Hotel Demand
9 Ethiopia Ambitious Tourism Goals with Africa's Largest Airport Project and Digital Visa Rollout
Africa's tourism industry is getting a boost as these countries are investing in infrastructure, expanding airline connections, increasing hotel capacity, and introducing policies like visa waivers and digital systems to make travel easier.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
UPI
21 minutes ago
- UPI
U.S., E.U. outline tariff deal, including medicine, autos and more
1 of 2 | European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke to reporters in March. The United States and the E.U. anounced their trade deal Thursday. File Photo by Olivier Matthys/EPA Aug. 21 (UPI) -- The European Union and the United States announced the details of their tariff agreement Thursday, with new details about pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. The two sides came to an agreement last month after weeks of negotiations. The deal includes 15% blanket tariffs on EU exports to the United States. Under the deal, the EU also agreed to buy $750 billion in U.S. energy and invest at least an additional $600 billion in the United States. Political and business leaders at the time expressed concern that the agreement isn't balanced and that it isn't clear how it will affect tariffs on particular industries that President Donald Trump has already put in place. After the announcement, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic told reporters that "this is the most favorable trade deal the U.S. has extended to any partner." "But this is not the end. This is the beginning. This framework is the first step, one that can grow over time to cover more sectors, improve market access, and strengthen our economic ties even further," he added. Starting Sept. 1, the U.S. will apply only Most Favored Nation duties, at 15%, on several goods from the EU, including "unavailable natural resources (including cork), all aircraft and aircraft parts, generic pharmaceuticals and their ingredients and chemical precursors." Some Section 232 tariffs are capped at the higher 15% tariff rate, including those on lumber, semiconductors, and pharmaceuticals, a senior U.S. administration official told CNBC. This is below the rates Trump has threatened, including a 100% levy on semiconductors. The statement noted that the E.U. plans "to eliminate tariffs on all U.S. industrial goods and to provide preferential market access for a wide range of U.S. seafood and agricultural goods." This was already broadly covered in the initial plan. The announcement restated the E.U.'s planned spending figures, including on AI chips, energy, and larger investments in the United States. But it described them as intended and expected, rather than as guaranteed, a senior administration official told CNBC. Thursday's statement also noted plans for the E.U. to "substantially" increase its purchase of U.S. military and defense equipment, even though Europe has committed to growing its own defense capabilities. The two sides announced that they had agreed to a conditional 15% tariff for European autos and auto parts bound for the United States -- but only after Brussels created legislation to reduce their industrial duties, according to a senior administration official. "With respect to automobiles, the United States and the European Union intend to accept and provide mutual recognition to each other's standards," the U.S. and E.U. said in the joint statement Thursday.
New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
US keeping lofty EU car tariffs until levies on American goods lowered — as large economies lock in trade deal
The US will keep higher tariffs on European carmakers in place until the EU lowers tariffs on American goods — as two of the world's largest economies on Thursday finally locked in a framework trade deal hammered out last month. The two sides fired off a joint statement listing the commitments made after President Trump and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the deal on July 27 following months of negotiations. Washington will make moves to reduce the current 27.5% US tariffs on European cars and car parts once Brussels introduces the legislation needed to enact the promised tariff cuts on US goods, they said in a joint statement. Advertisement The current tariff that the US puts on European cars and car parts is 27.5%. AFP via Getty Images As a result, carmakers could see relief from the current tariffs within 'hopefully weeks,' a senior administration official told Reuters. 'As soon as they're able to introduce that legislation — and I don't mean pass it and fully implement it, but really introduce it — then we will be in a position to provide that relief. And I will say that both sides are very interested in moving quickly,' the official said. It wasn't immediately clear when Brussels would start the legislative process. Advertisement As part of the framework deal, the EU also pledged to eliminate tariffs on all US industrial goods and to provide preferential market access for a wide range of US seafood and agricultural goods. The US agreed to apply a 15% US tariff on most EU imports, including autos, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber. The joint statement was 'a play to hold each other accountable' and ensure that both sides carried out the pledges announced last month, the admin official said. Advertisement 'We are trying to sequence with the European Union to make sure that … they feel sufficient pressure to obtain the mandate they need to begin the legislative process for reducing their tariffs, as they've promised,' the official said. 'We're confident that they'll do that. It's just good for all parties to make sure that everyone's on the same page and taking actions around the same time.' With Post wires
Business Wire
an hour ago
- Business Wire
Boyd's Global Liquid System Service Team Helps AI Data Center Customers Operate at Peak Performance
BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Boyd announces the expansion of its comprehensive Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) Service offerings to include European and Asian geographies to better support the rapid expansion of Hyperscaler, Colocation, and Private Enterprise AI data center customers. Boyd expands liquid system services in Europe and Asia to help global AI data centers operate at peak performance. Boyd leverages decades of expertise in liquid cooling to problem solve onsite with customers, enhancing deployment and operational efficiency Share Boyd's Liquid System Service team helps customers deploy and operate Boyd CDUs at peak performance while maximizing system uptime. The Liquid System Service team brings over 40 years of experience servicing advanced liquid cooling systems in high reliability markets. 'We prioritize high quality service and delivering an excellent onsite customer experience. Boyd's service team is knowledgeable, flexible, and agile, and we use rapid response, service speed, reliability, quality, and efficiency to maximize data center uptime,' says Boyd President, Thermal Solutions Division, David Huang. 'We leverage our decades of expertise in liquid cooling systems to problem solve onsite with our customers, help them optimize data center infrastructure strategy for liquid, while enhancing deployment and operational efficiency. As a strategic onsite partner, we help our customers stay on schedule and within budget.' Boyd's Liquid System Service offering includes standard inspection, commissioning, preventive maintenance, and emergency break-fix support as well as a 24/7 hotline and field replaceable unit support across all CDU models. Boyd's flexible service models support varied customer needs across different regions, locations, and facilities. Boyd differentiates through service quality, commitment to customer experience excellence, rapid response, technical expertise, service level flexibility, and global scalability. With repair depots in North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe and a service network spanning thousands of technicians across the globe, Boyd's Liquid System Service team is poised to accelerate new liquid cooled AI data center builds and retrofits worldwide. Request Boyd Liquid System Services support here. About Boyd Boyd is the trusted global innovator of sustainable solutions that make our customers' products better, safer, faster, and more reliable. Our innovative engineered materials and thermal solutions advance our customers' technology to maximize performance in the world's most advanced data centers; enhance reliability and extend range for electric and autonomous vehicles; advance the accuracy of cutting-edge personal healthcare and diagnostic systems; enable performance-critical aircraft and security technologies; and accelerate innovation in next-generation electronics and human-machine-interface. Core to Boyd's global manufacturing is a deep commitment to protecting the environment with sustainable, scalable, lean, strategically located regional operations that reduce waste and minimize carbon footprint. We empower our employees, develop their potential, and inspire them to do the right things with integrity and accountability to champion our customers' success.
