Africa Tourism Monitor Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015 Designations employed in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), the Africa House at NYU and the Africa Travel Association concerning the legal status of any country or territory, or the delimitation of its frontiers. While effort has been made to present reliable information, the three organiza- tions accept no responsibility whatsoever for any consequences of its use. Statistics Department New York University-Africa House Africa Travel Association Chief Economist Complex New York University 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 1702 African Development Bank Group 44 Washington Mews New York, NY, 10016, USA Immeuble du Centre de commerce New York, NY, 10003, USA Tel: +1- 212-447-1357 international d’Abidjan Tel: +1- 212-992-6584 Fax: +1-212-213-4890 Avenue Jean-Paul II Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] 01 BP 1387 www.nyuafricahouse.org www.africatravelassociation.org Abidjan 01 Côte d’Ivoire Tel: +225 20 26 33 25 Email: [email protected] www.afdb.org Africa Tourism Monitor Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential VOLUME 3 · ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015 CONTENTS Acknowledgments 4 Foreword 5 Preface and Key Tourism Facts 6 Africa Tourism: The Numbers 7 Africa Tourism Data Portal 8 Tourism’s Contribution to Employment 9 Tourism Growth and Air Access within Africa 10-11 Regional Visa Cooperation and Facilitation 12-13 Tapping Into the Online Travel Market 14-15 Delta Air Lines Engaging the African Diaspora Communities 16-17 Africa’s Diverse Travel Experiences 18-19 Knowledge and Skills Transfer to Support Tourism Industries 20-21 Virgin Limited Edition’s Community Development & Empowerment Initiatives 22-23 Africa House Rural Tourism Development and Greening Projects in Ghana 24-25 To Support Africa´s Wildlife Watching Tourism is to Promote Development 26-27 When the Buying Stops, the Killing Can Too 28-29 Creative Partnerships for Conservation in Kenya: From “Looking Good” to “Doing Good” 30-31 Africa’s Wildlife at a Crossroads 32-33 Creating Dynamic Family Travel Products in Africa 34-35 Hotel Chain Development Pipelines in Africa, 2015 36-38 Kenya Tourism Accommodation Landscape 39 U.S.-Africa Travel and Tourism 40 Making Rank: An Analysis of the Top Ten Travel Lists 40-41 Impact of Travel Warnings in Africa 42-43 Telling Africa’s Story: Managing Media Perceptions 44-45 Shifting the Narrative on Africa: Sharing Local Perspectives 46-47 Building Partnerships: Harnessing Tourism for Economic Growth & Communities 48-49 Spotlight on Kenya Tourism 50-51 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Africa Tourism Monitor is a joint publication of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Africa House at New York University (NYU) and the Africa Travel Association (ATA). Statistics Department African Development Bank Team: Charles Lufumpa, Director, Chief Economist Complex Statistics Department; Beejaye Kokil, Manager, Economic & African Development Bank Group Social Statistics Division; Oliver Chinganya, Manager, Capacity Immeuble du Centre de commerce Building Division; Koua L. Kouakou, Senior Statistician; international d’Abidjan Slaheddine Saidi, Statistician; Mustapha Bouzaiene (Consultant), Avenue Jean-Paul II Statistics Department. The editor was Sandra Jones (Consultant). 01 BP 1387 Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire Africa House, New York University Team: Professor Yaw Nyarko, Tel: +225 20 26 33 25 Director; Andrea Papitto, Assistant Director, Africa Trade and Email: [email protected] Tourism; Kingsley Essegbey, Assistant Director, Student & www.afdb.org/statistics Community Relations. New York University-Africa House Africa Travel Association Team: Edward Bergman, Executive New York University Director; Angela Gerrow, Director of Membership Services; 44 Washington Mews Kudzaishe T revor Chikawa, Intern; Chirag Vaswani, Intern; and New York, NY, 10003, USA Vinay Vaswani, Intern. Tel: +1- 212-992-6584 Email: [email protected] Contributors and Special Thanks: Georgette James, research www.nyuafricahouse.org consultant, and Eddie Mandhry. Africa Travel Association Photo Contributions by: Ethiopian Airlines, Gambia Tourism 152 Madison Avenue, Suite 1702 Board, Kenya Tourism Board, Rwanda Development Board, New York, NY, 10016, USA Tanzania Tourist Board, Uganda Tourism Board, Zimbabwe Tel: +1- 212-447-1357 Tourism Authority, Delta Air Lines, Virgin Limited Edition, Alan Fax: +1-212-213-4890 Feldstein of Infinite Safari Adventures, Petra Hassan of Rani Email: [email protected] Pink, Rainer Jenss of the Family Travel Association, Scott Judd, www.africatravelassociation.org Kingsley Essegbey and Andrea Papitto. 4 AFRICA TOURISM MONITOR Foreword he African Development Bank surpassing 10 million arrivals for the all across the continent with negative (AfDB) is pleased to present this second consecutive year. Additionally, perceptions, decreased leisure book- T edition of the Africa Tourism Côte d’Ivoire shows promise with a ings, and cancelations. It is clear that Monitor, produced in partnership with 24% increase in arrivals, which means the tourism sector is interconnected to New York University Africa House, and 91,000 more visitors than in 2013. many facets of Africa’s economy and the Africa Travel Association (ATA). The African Development Bank society. While continuing to support Tourism continues to be one of the recognizes, however, that it is not traditional tourism infrastructure and fastest-growing and most dynamic enough simply to sustain these growth systems, it is equally important to sectors of Africa’s economy. In spite of levels, commendable though they are. invest in supporting health systems, recent challenges, including the Ebola What is equally important is sustained health and disaster preparedness, outbreak in West Africa during 2014, research and data generation to and crisis management systems. the sector has tremendous potential to create the necessary knowledge base Only through such unified efforts can create jobs, boost inclusive economic for effective decision making, policy Africa’s future as a competitive global growth across the continent, and formulation, and implementation tourism destination be safeguarded. reduce poverty. in support of tourism, and hence This unique collaborative effort With 1.133 billion global tourist economic growth and development. between the African Development arrivals in the past year, which In this respect the Bank will sustain its Bank, New York University Africa represents a 4.3% increase over the pivotal role in collecting, managing, House, and the Africa Travel Associa- previous 12 months, worldwide and disseminating tourism data tion continues to highlight opportu- tourism activity has been at its highest alongside a plethora of other conti- nities and challenges surrounding the level to date. Africa welcomed 65.3 mil- nent-wide statistics, through its Open tourism industry in Africa. Through lion arrivals in 2014, which represents Data platform. the Africa Tourism Monitor we provide 5.8% of the total international arrivals We applaud the strides made in market-sensitive information and figure. International tourism receipts visa facilitation and regional coopera- case studies to tourism stakeholders, rose to their highest level in 2014 at tion by the implementation of the East planners, and practitioners in Africa US$ 1,245 billion. With US$ 43.6 billion African Community (EAC) Visa and to realize and unlock Africa’s tourism in receipts, Africa holds 3.5% of this the Southern African Development potential. In this joint endeavor, global market share. One reason for Community (SADC) KAZA Visa we continue to highlight the role this rise is the growing influx of new between Zambia and Zimbabwe. While of tourism as a prime catalyst for visitors from emerging economies we acknowledge the progress that has spurring inclusive and sustainable in Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, been made with these single visas, economic growth across Africa. all seeking to experience the cultural attempts to encourage free intra-Afri- heritage, extraordinary wildlife, and can trade and movement of people in dramatic landscapes unique to the the ECOWAS sub-region must also be continent. addressed. It is through free trade and In 2014, arrivals in Africa increased ease of access that tourism will thrive. Dr. Charles Leyeka overall by 200,000 over the previous In 2014, the African tourism sector Lufumpa year. Arrivals in Egypt rebounded in faced tremendous challenges with Director, Statistics 2014 with a 5% increase, equating to the Ebola crisis. Although Ebola was Department, 454,000 more visitors than the prior confined to some countries in West African Develop- year. Morocco maintained its record of Africa, stark ramifications were felt ment Bank Group AFRICA TOURISM MONITOR 5 Preface elcome to the 2015 edition of the Africa Tourism Monitor, a joint publication of the African Development Bank (AfDB), W New York University Africa House, and the Africa Travel Associa- tion (ATA). The theme of this issue is “Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential,” where we examine investment, conservation, product development, partnerships, and more in the sector, to foster economic growth and capitalize on opportunities. This issue delves into a raft of timely topics, including trade KEY policy and regional integration, regional visa cooperation and facilitation, hotel chain development, the economic value of wildlife tourism, knowledge