Trends that will keep the travel and tourism alive in 2020 after COVID-19
This year presents its share of challenges for African tourism as the sector was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic as all the countries in the world have been.
In 2019, only about 10% of global travelers visited Africa; while Africa is a full of desired travel destinations, getting flight and travel information is still a bit difficult compared to comparable destinations like Thailand, India and Australia.
There are grave misconceptions that cause Americans to move it down their list of the trip to take each year. Often, Americans think Africa is too far, unsafe or is suffering the ravages of poverty. The bias media cycle and inundation of information on the internet remains a big challenge. Many only see one sensationalized headline a year without the context of a story or get overwhelmed with useless information.
After 9/11 and the 2008/9 recession, for U.S. travelers, global political and economic uncertainty has impacted travel to southern and East Africa. People prefer to visit close to home where they feel safer just being a few hours flight home.
For other operators however, 2020 was looking optimistic; looking back on 2019 as a good one for Africa, with no wars, pestilence or major calamities on the continent this year, the idea was this year, more people would be inclined to visit Africa. At the end of 2018, high profile visits by Kanye West to Uganda and the African American movement to “Return to the motherland” reignited interest in Africa.
The perception of safety and concern over potential epidemics are two of the reasons that travelers normally might avoid visiting the continent but there was in fact less concern for "events" in Africa in 2019 than in past years.
The outlook for 2020 was promising, according to tour operators. They highlight the following trends and developments that could work in Africa's favor for the coming year:
• Increase of Air travel options: The increased direct airlift to South Africa and Kenya from the U.S. is likely to increase travel to the continent and will open up new destinations to travelers.
Rwanda Air has slowly built a reputation as a stellar airline within the various fleets in Africa.
In the past, routes required a stopover either in Europe or the Middle East. Now South African Airlines has routes from the U.S. to Johannesburg and United Airlines launched a direct flight from Newark to Cape Town, the world's only flight between the U.S. and that city.
Rwanda Air was set to offer a non-stop flight from New York JFK to Kigali in 2020 but at press time, that directive was suspended along with all other flights for 30 days.
Safari-goers were also visiting more than one country per safari, according to Smith. As visa and border-crossing restrictions have been eased, one can view the zebra-wildebeest migration in Kenya and then fly direct to Kigali, Rwanda, for gorilla viewing near Lake Bunyonyi then move into Uganda for some big cat action. There are numerous other cross-border travel configurations that only increase variety in African travel.
• Learning Experience: Travelers continue to focus on collecting experiences and Africa truly delivers trans-formative travel experiences through its meaningful connections to nature, people and wildlife. African Travel focuses on making sure every trip has a positive impact, whether it's engaging with wildlife through an elephant rehabilitation program, tracking gorillas responsibly in Rwanda or Uganda, or trailblazing new experiences for travelers to engage with people and wildlife.
Learning experiences and the continuation and entrenching of environmental impact and conscious travel are trends she foresees impacting travel in Africa.
• Self-care and more focus on vacation mode:
Getting a massage overlooking the various scenery in many African resorts can be a very relaxing time.
Many travelers are looking to slow down, reconnect with nature and wildlife and immerse themselves in the local flavors and environments. Self-care has become a cultural buzzword with travelers increasingly drawn to properties that offer spa treatments, garden-to-table meal experiences and other wellness experiences.
Historically, safari camps have been focused on the wildlife and the game drive experience, but well-known resort chains that specialize in wellness are beginning to invest in safari destinations, as well. The introduction of this style of safari accommodation may call to a different type of traveler as well as put pressure on other camps to offer more wellness-focused experiences.
• Unique personalized experiences: Another current trend in adventure travel worldwide is walking trips. Walking safaris in Kenya and Uganda give safari guests a unique perspective of East Africa's landscapes and wildlife, while adopting a slower travel pace that allows travelers to become immersed in the destination.
More active safaris were trending and poised to be more popular in 2020. Safari travelers were looking for hiking, mobile camping, horseback riding and exploring new areas instead of riding around in caravans on guided tours. This presents a more direct approach and feel in the tourist experience.
Tourists are moving away from being sedentary, only sitting in a game vehicle, watching, seeing. They also want an immersive and interactive program where they can meet local communities and learn about their culture or meet local entrepreneurs in the bigger cities and exchange business skills. This active trend goes hand in hand with the wider global health trends. Most of this interaction was spurred from the PeaceCorp volunteers and the prevalence of social media; these individuals were able to share their experiences and it created a more human element to touring Africa.
A picturesque atmosphere can be found at Mweya Safari Lodge in Uganda.
• Luxury equals exclusivity: Private conservancies and concessions that limit the number of people is trending among discerning travelers. Popular destinations like the Serengeti and Maasai Mara are becoming crowded, and travelers are looking for a quieter, more authentic wildlife experiences. This boosts smaller, more localized entities that can further benefit the local economy.
At a time when popular destinations are challenged by over tourism, we see Africa as the answer to where you should visit that isn't crowded.
• Foodie Experiences: Experiencing a destination through its culinary traditions is a trend that has certainly made its way to Africa. From South African wine scene to Blankets and Wine in Uganda to multiple other food centered events around the continent, the African food scene is on the verge of a breakout, especially for adventurous palates. Many visitors are discovering that Africa has been doing organic farming long before their modern counterparts. Whether on safari, in the tea or coffee fields of Rwanda and Uganda or visiting tribes in the Masai Mara, our guests love to learn of the ancient traditions and taste the bush foods or spices that have been around for centuries.
A delicious looking plate of jollof rice from the Nigeria/Ghanian; a much revered western African dish
• Conservation and Environmental concerns: Africa has shown that it is not the primitive place some people in the so-called "developed world" think it is. When one considers the way the safari industry has tackled climate change: plastic bottles and bags are now uniformly banned in most safari destinations. Safari camps are turning to other forms of power generation other than carbon fuels. And then there is the lead Africa is taking in conservation circles, both for wildlife and the environment.
Kenya is at the forefront of conservation and sustainability in Africa. In 2019, the country banned the use of plastic bags, which will have a positive impact on tourism; it was also at the forefront of rallying the rest of Africa to vote against allowing countries with stocks of ivory to sell them.
• Family and Educational travel: South Africa had the requirement for children to travel with an unabridged birth certificate (UBC), a requirement that was scrapped in 2019. Although 2020 is an election year in the U.S., a period during which Americans usually slow down on international travel, Africa has all the ingredients to remain a popular destination in 2020. The challenge was to be to ensure Africa does not price itself out of competition with other destinations. If the price is right, Americans will look for educational opportunities on safari where they learn about Africa's wildlife and conservation projects.
Ntare Consulting is a consulting firm that works on financial management, government compliance, fiscal planning and business solutions for entities both in the US and Uganda. We are currently consulting for several investors and operators in the Tourism sector for Uganda and other East African countries.
Humura Safaris is a tours and travel company based in Uganda that operates within the East African region mainly Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, DRC-Congo and Rwanda. Our clients receive an exhilarating tour experience from a wide range of packages that properly suite their time and budget.
Our packages entail activities like Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Golden Monkey tracking, Bird Watching, Wildlife & Nature Viewing, Game drives, Mountain Hiking, Nature Walks, Boat Trips, Wild Water Rafting and Cultural Tours.
Our passionate, dedicated and professional Safari guides will give you a worthwhile adventure for a return safari. We offer you more than just a safari as we embrace your dreams to an African encounter that is memorable. Book us today and we promise to give you the best.