As I walked in, I could feel the vibrant energy in this hall. It truly feels like a celebration of Africa’s tourism potential. Our theme, Unlimited Africa: Growing Africa’s Tourism Economy, captures exactly where we need to be.
Tourism has moved from being treated with suspicion in the past to becoming one of the most strategically important sectors on our continent. It sits at the intersection of economic growth, employment, infrastructure development, cultural diplomacy, conservation and continental integration. For many African countries, tourism is a powerful developmental instrument that generates foreign exchange, tax revenues, investment inflows and broad-based job creation.
Before COVID-19, tourism accounted for around 7pc of Africa’s GDP and supported tens of millions of jobs. Countries such as Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius and Rwanda have shown how tourism can become a pillar of national growth. In South Africa, we welcomed a record 10.5 million international visitors in 2025. Tourists bring foreign exchange, support local businesses, and create opportunities across the entire value chain.
Tourism diversifies economies away from commodity dependence, distributes economic activity to rural areas and townships, and offers massive potential for skills development, particularly for young people, women and people with disabilities. It supports small businesses, informal traders, cultural performers and community-owned enterprises. Examples such as the revival of Durban through public-private partnerships, the transformation of Vilakazi Street in Soweto into a major heritage attraction, and successful conservation models like African Parks and gorilla tourism in Rwanda and Uganda demonstrate its transformative power.
Tourism also serves as Africa’s soft power. It allows us to change global narratives by showcasing our extraordinary assets , the Sahara Desert, Victoria Falls, Serengeti, Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, the Nile, ancient civilisations and our rich cultural diversity. It tells the real stories of our people, our histories and our achievements.
To unlock this potential fully, we must address key challenges: improve air connectivity, enhance safety and stability, close infrastructure gaps in roads, airports, energy and broadband, remove visa barriers, and promote easier movement across the continent through the African Continental Free Trade Area. We should market Africa regionally and encourage intra-African travel so that Africans can discover and enjoy our own continent.
Above all, tourism must benefit communities. Local people must be active participants and owners, not bystanders. With boldness and focus, Africa can become the tourism hub of the world , a place where people return to humanity’s original home.
Thank you very much.
