Key points
- International tourist arrivals to Africa increased by 8 per cent in 2025, while North Africa recorded 11 per cent growth, according to United Nations tourism figures cited by Prof. Elmarie Slabbert.
- Egypt, Morocco and Seychelles recorded tourism growth of 20 per cent, 14 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.
- A tourism expert says sustaining Africa’s growth will require improved air connectivity, easier visa processes, stronger transport links, infrastructure investment and skills development.
Main story
Africa has the attractions to compete for a larger share of the global tourism market, but sustaining the continent’s recent growth will depend on making destinations easier to reach, enter and navigate, a tourism expert, Prof. Elmarie Slabbert, has said.
Slabbert, director of the Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society (TREES) research unit and professor of Tourism Management at the School of Tourism Management at North-West University (NWU), said recent tourism figures showed that the continent was making progress in attracting international visitors.
According to United Nations tourism figures cited by Slabbert, international tourist arrivals to Africa increased by 8 per cent in 2025, while North Africa recorded growth of 11 per cent.
Egypt recorded 20 per cent growth, followed by Morocco with 14 per cent and Seychelles with 13 per cent.
Slabbert said the figures reflected deliberate efforts by African countries to position themselves as competitive tourism destinations.
She said Africa’s appeal was based not only on its natural attractions but also on its people, culture and authentic experiences.
“Africa’s attractiveness lies in its people and nature, and the authenticity they offer. Africa has natural landscapes, cultural experiences, wine, food and gastronomy, to mention a few,” she said.
Countries such as Zanzibar, mainland Tanzania and Kenya have benefited from a combination of nature, wildlife, beaches and cultural tourism.
However, Slabbert said possessing attractive tourism assets alone would not guarantee sustained growth, as the ease with which visitors could reach and move around destinations was becoming increasingly important.
Improved air access, investment in accommodation, destination marketing and measures that make it easier for travellers to enter countries have helped convert tourism interest into actual arrivals.
She cited Angola’s emergence as a growing destination as an indication of the potential available to African countries that have historically attracted a smaller share of international tourists.
According to her, countries seeking to grow their tourism sectors needed to consider the entire visitor journey, including convenience and ease of entry, instead of relying solely on their attractions.
South Africa also provides an example of how improved connectivity and marketing can support tourism growth.
Slabbert said South Africa recorded 19 per cent tourism growth in 2025, supported partly by increased air connectivity and capacity.
The improvement strengthened demand from key international markets, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
She also identified destination marketing as an important factor in attracting visitors and increasing awareness of African destinations.
Campaigns such as “South Africa Awaits: Come Find Your Joy” and “Live South Africa” increased the country’s exposure among consumers and at trade shows.
Slabbert added that tourism campaigns involving public figures such as Trevor Noah could further increase awareness of South Africa as a destination.
She said the experience of countries recording growth showed that tourism development required coordination across several areas rather than reliance on a single intervention.
For Africa to maintain its recent growth, however, governments and tourism operators would have to address barriers that could influence travellers’ decisions.
One of the major concerns is the cost and difficulty of travelling to and within the continent.
While access to some destinations has improved, travel within Africa can remain expensive, while safety concerns and political instability can influence tourists’ decisions.
Geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty could also encourage international travellers to select destinations closer to home, particularly when long-haul travel becomes more expensive.
This presents a particular challenge for Africa because several of its major international tourism markets involve long-distance journeys.
Higher fuel and transport costs can therefore directly affect demand for African destinations.
Slabbert also identified climate change and pressure on tourism infrastructure as challenges that could become more significant as visitor numbers increase.
She said destinations would need to balance tourism expansion with the protection of the natural and cultural resources that form a major part of Africa’s tourism offering.
To sustain growth, she said African countries would need to improve visa processes, strengthen air and ground transport connections, embrace digital transformation, invest in infrastructure and develop the skills required to support the tourism industry.
She also stressed the importance of maintaining Africa’s visibility in international markets, warning that destinations could lose potential visitors if they failed to remain visible to travellers.
The issues
Africa’s tourism challenge is increasingly about accessibility rather than a lack of attractions. The continent has natural, cultural and recreational assets capable of attracting international visitors, but high travel costs, difficult entry processes, limited connectivity and infrastructure gaps can prevent tourism interest from translating into actual visits.
The growth recorded by destinations such as Egypt, Morocco, Seychelles and South Africa also shows that tourism performance can be strengthened through coordinated investment in connectivity, accommodation, marketing and visitor convenience.
However, continued growth will create additional pressure on infrastructure and natural resources. African destinations therefore face the challenge of expanding tourism while protecting the environmental and cultural assets on which the sector depends.
What’s being said
“Growing the tourism industry is a deliberate and integrated effort.”
“Africa’s challenge is not a lack of tourism assets, but the friction involved in reaching, entering and confidently travelling the continent.”
“Out of sight, out of mind.”
What’s next
Slabbert said continued tourism growth would require African countries to improve visa processes, strengthen air and ground transport links, invest in infrastructure, accelerate digital transformation and develop tourism-sector skills.
Destinations will also need to maintain their visibility in international markets while managing the environmental and infrastructure pressures associated with rising visitor numbers.
Bottom line
Africa’s recent tourism growth shows that the continent can attract more international visitors, but sustaining that growth will depend on more than its natural and cultural attractions. Easier travel, stronger connectivity, better infrastructure, effective marketing and simpler entry processes will be critical to turning Africa’s tourism potential into sustained growth.
