Unlocking the Continent’s Business Travel Potential
Africa's economic growth continues to extend across the continent.
To many, Africa represents some of the final frontiers for industrial development. Large-scale infrastructure developments, especially in airports and roads, are having a positive effect on improving commercial linkages in Africa. There is, however, still significant space for innovation and growth in the business travel sector.
While African airlines, such as Ethiopian Airlines and Kenya Airways, have become trailblazers on the continent for excellence and African business spirit, the infrastructure and services of other business travel-related activities, such as land transport and associated services and infrastructure, remain limited, unreliable, and often unsafe. African cities will need to be the ones to lead the charge for change. African cities need to consider creating more friendly and efficient cities. Crafting people-centric policies is always a good start for cities with sizeable wealth inequality. The 21st century could be the year that cities in Africa break-free from their national governments and become beacons of a country’s best offerings. City innovations are taking root. The rise of local transport and tourism focused business and online and mobile applications are trending upwards. While the challenges are enormous, the commitment can never begin too soon. With improved intercity connectivity and focus on mobility, services businesses in African cities will be able to take advantage of the spending of growing leisure and business visitors. It has a positive net effect of providing confidence to visitors, something many parts of the world from Africa to the Middle East have been trying to reverse.
For many visitors and travellers, a journey begins with packing their bags, heading to the airport and boarding a plane.
The air transport market in Africa remains below its potential level of competitiveness. African states need to speed up the liberalisation of the skies by sticking to the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the 1999 Yamoussoukro Decision. By lifting market access restrictions, African cities and travellers will enjoy greater connectivity and competition, which is key to creating a thriving connected regional economy.
With airlines and hotels investing and growing rapidly in Africa, the time for cities and their respective governments to drive a developmental agenda geared toward attracting investors, travellers, and tourists could not be any more pressing.
Without adequate business travel services and supporting infrastructure, commercial activity on the continent will begin to revert to the old system of neglect - abundant market opportunity but little motivation.
Africa's economic growth continues to permeate across the continent. The continent represents some of the final frontiers for industrial development. As Africa’s economic growth has taken off, so too has its aviation industry, thus bringing a new era of city-to-city connectivity with the world.
This research service provides an overview of business travel in North, East and West Africa’s key economies such as Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Egypt.
This research covers the period from 2017 to 2022.
Key Issues Addressed
- What are the current trends in the industry and the continent?
- What are the key airline operators connecting African business centres?
- What are the current market drivers and restraints?
- What are the major growth opportunities for African business travel?
- What are the big predictions for African business travel?
Table of Contents
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Air China
- ArikAir
- EgyptAir
- Ethiopian Airlines
- Kenya Airways
- Radisson