TOURISM
Few sectors were as badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic as the travel industry. Many African countries that rely heavily on travel for much-needed foreign exchange found themselves at a crossroads.
But as the worst of the pandemic seems to be well behind us, travel is bouncing back, albeit cautiously, with Kenya projected to have received close to 1.5 million visitors by the end of 2022. However, as Kenya Tourism Board Chief Executive Betty Radier said during the Magical Kenya Travel Expo held in Nairobi last October, the dynamics of post-Covid travel will change as people take a keener look at product diversification, in addition to traditional products such as beach and bush. She added that culture, adventure, gastronomy and city nightlife are among the things that will open up local destinations.
“The current traveller has changed,” Radier said. “It is up to us to unlock the critical mass of people ready to travel through competitive products. We must unlock ‘Brand Africa’, starting regionally then moving continentally. We must move away from jealously guarding our individual turfs.” According to Radier, gone too are the days when the industry operated as a solo outfit. It will have to collaborate with agencies that support the industry, including health, trade partners and those who develop the products.
With lessons learnt from the pandemic, tourism professionals have been thinking outside the box for innovations that will drive the next phase of the sector. Read on to discover some of the emerging trends that will be key to the travel sector’s recovery in 2023 and beyond…
DIGITAL SERVICES BECOME THE NORM
Mobile check-ins and digital services are becoming commonplace in developed countries and catching on fast in Africa. “Within hotels and lodges, the digital transformation will create seamless, effortless processes for guests, easing the customer experience,” says Pravir Singh Vohra, director
