Africa is arguably more connected than ever before in terms of airlift and hub connectivity but high airfares are preventing that improved access from fully translating into stronger tourism growth.
Speaking to Tourism Update, Sabine Blehle, CEO of GoVacation Africa, said the continent has seen undeniable progress in connectivity over the past five years, driven by increased seat capacity and frequency on key long-haul routes, stronger hub cities and expanding regional airline networks.
“On the ground, this has made a tangible difference. It gives us far more flexibility when routing itineraries, allows us to respond more effectively to disruptions and has opened up access to destinations that were previously more difficult to package or required complex routing.”
However, she warned that improved connectivity has not yet translated into seamless or affordable travel for many international visitors.
“The reality is that this connectivity is still not evenly distributed, remains hub-driven, meaning that, while routing has become more flexible and resilient, it does not yet consistently translate into a seamless or convenient travel experience for all source markets. While connectivity has improved structurally, pricing remains the single biggest constraint in translating that connectivity into real travel demand,” said Blehle.
Growing networks
Improved air access has helped DMCs create more efficient regional itineraries across Southern and East Africa, including combinations such as Kenya and Tanzania, Tanzania and Zanzibar, and South Africa with Botswana or Zimbabwe, she added.
“Travellers are increasingly focused on maximising the value of a long-haul trip, making multi-country experiences a natural fit,” Blehle said.
More niche and emerging options are also gaining traction, including South Africa with St Helena as well as Angola for more adventurous travellers seeking less-explored destinations.
At the same time, itinerary planning remains heavily influenced by airfare costs and flight schedules.
“Certain routings remain impractical – not due to distance but because of cost inefficiencies or limited flight options,” Blehle said.
She also noted a gradual shift towards greater use of African hub airports for regional connections, particularly between East and Southern Africa although Gulf and European hubs still dominate long-haul access because of their pricing, scale and frequency advantages.
“African hubs are gaining importance but they are not yet replacing global hubs at scale,” Blehle said.
Biggest challenge
She identified high airfares as the single biggest obstacle to improving tourism connectivity across the continent alongside limited direct routes, high operating costs and visa barriers.
“Intra-African airfares continue to be disproportionately high, often exceeding long-haul pricing for shorter distances. Improved accessibility on paper does not always translate into a more affordable or practical option for travellers,” Blehle said.
“In essence, Africa is more connected than before but not yet proportionally more accessible in real purchasing terms. And, until pricing becomes more competitive, this will continue to limit the full impact of improved connectivity.”
