While turmoil in the Middle East has caused minimal short-term disruptions in inbound travel to Southern and East Africa, uncertainty about future airspace restrictions and heightened instability in the region are prompting caution in further bookings.
This is according to Africa specialist operators – working within the region and in leading international source markets. The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia serve as major transit hubs for long-haul travel to Africa, and are also viewed as key emerging source markets for countries such as Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa.
Judy Fell, Founder and Director of Dubai-based operator Africa Connection, says immediate bookings are going ahead as planned while future bookings and enquiries for July and August are “slow in confirming”.
“This is mainly due to concerns about airspace in the region. But flexible booking conditions are being offered by camps and lodges on a case-by-case basis,” says Fell.
Maija de Rijk-Uys, MD of Go2Africa, says she has not seen a significant impact on Africa bookings or travel plans.
“The majority of our travellers originate from the US, UK, Europe and Australia. While some of these guests may transit through the Middle East, we’ve not observed a notable shift in behaviour or cancellations. We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in contact with our airline and DMC partners but, at present, there is no widespread panic or disruption among our clients.”
Bianca Angelucci, Client Experience Expert at Go2Africa, says: “We’ve had a few isolated cases where clients were delayed due to rerouted flights but the overall impact on their safaris has been minimal.”
Impact on long-haul attractiveness
Tourism consultant Rob Hetem, who has worked in the Middle East market for 25 years, says longer travel times and increases in airfare costs due to the conflict could exacerbate existing challenges faced by the Southern African region in attracting long-haul tourists.
“We already experience complaints in-market about the high cost of flights to South Africa. When competing against other destinations in the proposal and quoting phase, we have noticed that this is a major factor, which dissuades travellers from considering South Africa, particularly when alternative destinations are more accessible and cost-effective.”
He stresses that, while conflict zones are often localised rather than widespread, regional instability leads to heightened caution among Middle Eastern travellers.
“Concerns about safety, travel reliability and, particularly since COVID-19, the possibility of being unable to return home quickly during an emergency negatively influence travel decisions. Perhaps it lies in psychology that the further from home the travel is, the more difficult and riskier it becomes.”
Middle East market’s increasing value
The operators highlight the Middle East’s growing importance as a source market for Africa.
“In East Africa, proximity, cultural ties, religious tourism and safaris, as part of high-end leisure experiences, have helped this market flourish. For South Africa, the Middle East market continues to exhibit great potential and traction,” says Hetem. He stresses that South Africa benefits particularly from high-spending Middle Eastern travellers during low seasons.
“Many tourism businesses have come to rely on these seasonal visitors to smooth out income during quieter periods. A decline in arrivals from this market has notable consequences for local businesses.”
Fell points out that, with over 200 nationalities resident in the UAE alone, the market represents a cross-section of travellers across different income levels.
“There are plenty of medium spenders who are often overlooked by trade partners seeking to expand into the region. While many operators chase only the ultra-high-end Gulf national market, there’s significant opportunity in the substantial middle market: multi-national expat professionals and established residents who travel regularly and value authentic experiences,” says Fell.
