South Africa’s removal of all remaining Covid travel restrictions came as a major boost during last week’s Experience Africa trade show.
The three-day event in London saw nearly 200 travel agents meet more than 100 operators and suppliers from sub-Saharan Africa.
It was the first time the show has been able to take place in-person since before the pandemic and visitors had to contend with UK visa delays and a national rail strike.
But Chris Mears, executive director of the African Travel & Tourism Association (Atta), declared the event a “fantastic success” as Africa bounces back from the pandemic.
“The African tourism community is very close-knit. This was the first opportunity for many people to see each other for a long time,” he said.
“Being able to connect through technology is wonderful, but there are things it cannot replicate.”
Mears said the South Africa announcement was a morale booster and a reflection that the region was “properly back and ready to accept visitors”.
“It’s back to normal,” he said. “Numbers are up, and a lot of properties are fully booked, which is wonderful to see. Unlike in more‑developed countries, there was not the same level of government support for tourism businesses.
“They had to dig deep into their own pockets to support themselves and their employees to ensure there was a business as we came out of the pandemic.
“It’s fantastic to see so many businesses are still there. There has been a lot of resilience.”
Mears said the impact of the pandemic was felt not only by tourism companies but also by conservation projects reliant on income from visitors.
This “double whammy” was mitigated by more domestic and intra-Africa travel, which Mears said he hoped would continue post-pandemic.
The UK, traditionally a vital market for all sub-Saharan destinations, has been knocked off top spot by the US, but Mears said confidence was returning to the long-haul sector.
“Talking to tour operators at the show, demand is huge,” he said.
“Postponed bookings are now working their way through the system, so they are generating new business. Teams are very busy and are dealing with a lot of enquiries, which is encouraging to see.”
Mears described focused trade events such as Experience Africa as “the future”, giving destinations the opportunity to educate and address misperceptions.
“We need to educate people on Africa, the opportunities and how to sell it, because once you go, you come back time and again,” he said.