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Welcome to WTTC's global Research Hub. Here you will find all our reports which provide critical evidence to empower the public and private sectors, and help to shape policies and investments that bolster Travel & Tourism.  We analyse Travel & Tourism's economic and employment impact in 185 economies, 82 cities and 26 regions worldwide. We also produce reports on the environmental and social impacts of Travel & Tourism, as well as thought leadership reports on themes such as diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and retail tourism. Explore full reports (free for WTTC members and purchasable for non-members) or discover valuable insights in our library of freely available economic factsheets.

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Travel & Tourism Economic Impact 2022

August 2022

By World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)

While the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt across the entire Travel & Tourism ecosystem, 2021 saw the beginning of the recovery for the sector. For over 30 years, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has been quantifying the economic impact of Travel & Tourism, highlighting the importance of the sector globally. The 2022 annual research which covers 185 countries/economies, and 26 regions of the world, reveals the extent of the recovery in 2021.

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Unwto 2022: a year in review.

2022 has been the year to rethink tourism . Countries around the world turned UNWTO’s vision for a greener, smarter and more inclusive sector into real action.

2022 began on a positive note. Data from UNWTO showed that tourism was cautiously taking off , and that it needed to be rethought . The UN amplified UNWTO’s global advocacy for tourism’s role in recovery. UNWTO partnered with sister agencies like WHO for example, around joint warnings that “ Blanket Travel Restrictions Don’t Work ".

Advancing common UN goals, UNWTO and WHO called for the lifting of travel bans and agreed to collaborate on a global trust architecture for the recovery of travel. While leaders committed to join UNWTO to build a social and environmentally sustainable tourism, February ended with UNWTO leading the voice of tourism for peace and solidarity in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

UNWTO data continued to reflect the promising start of tourism in 2022. This month, UNWTO released New Guidelines Put Women’s Empowerment at Heart of Tourism’s Restart , and announced the launch of the second edition of Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO to promote rural development through tourism.

Meeting for the first ever extraordinary UNWTO General Assembly against the backdrop of the Russian invasion in Ukraine, UNWTO Members voted to suspend Russia from Membership . Reinforcing the Global Goals, UNWTO launched the “Awake Tourism Challenge” for startups . The Glasgow Declaration kept growing since its launch at COP26 and surpassed 500 signatories to take climate action through tourism.

A landmark moment: UNWTO and tourism reached the top of the UN agenda: the first ever UN General Assembly High-Level Debate on Sustainable Tourism in New York, fueling immediate actions and reverberating during the rest of the year. Other May highlights include upgrading SMEs with the Digital Futures programme , and strengthening consumers’ rights with more countries adhering to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists .

Facing up to uncertainty, tourism kept on growing , as reported by the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. This set the backdrop for the 116 UNWTO Executive Council (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia). UNWTO successfully advocated for tourism action at the UN Ocean Conference (Lisbon, Portugal), ahead of the biggest event on tourism and youth.

Youth empowerment is a UNWTO priority. The first Global Youth Tourism Summit gathered young people from 57 countries to be part of tourism’s decisions, as reflected in the Sorrento Call to Action . That same month, the UN Secretary-General's  Progress report on SDGs drew on UNWTO’s statistical work to track tourism’s role in driving growth.

International tourism continued reporting positive, recording 250 million international arrivals during the first five months of 2022. This set the backdrop ahead of World Tourism Day 2022 and its theme Rethinking Tourism .

27 September, World Tourism Day emphasized the sector’s unique potential to drive recovery and deliver positive change for people everywhere. This followed the G20 Tourism Working Group me eting in Bali, where UNWTO presented the G20 Bali Guidelines for SMEs. Looking at the progress since the start of the year, tourism was back to 60% of pre-pandemic levels.

A busy month also saw UNWTO advancing tourism and rural development at the 6th Wine Conference on Wine Tourism (Alba, Italy), and promoting education in tourism with the launch of the first national competition of UNWTO Students’ League in Switzerland.

Sustainability and the green transformation of tourism took centre stage in October as the UNWTO International Network of Tourism Observatories (INSTO) welcomed more members, and Ministers agreed to advance circularity and climate action in Pan European tourism.

Tourism was transformed at the UNWTO Ministers’ Summit, the most successful edition to date with delegates joining UNWTO’s vision to rethink tourism. UNWTO made the case for tourism in COP27 , where it represented over 700 signatories of the Glasgow Declaration advancing a NetZero sector. This was followed by new data showing arrivals reached 63% of pre-pandemic levels during January-September 2022. This set the framework for the 117 UNWTO Executive Council (Marrakesh, Morocco).

Rural development, inclusivity and sustainability led conversations at the 7th World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism . Winners of Best Tourism Villages and Students League wrapped up 2022 with their solutions to boost rural development through tourism. In 2023 we look forward, making the shift from rethinking to transforming the sector around key priorities: jobs and training, education and youth development, and sustainability and innovation. With UNWTO as tourism's voice at the global level, including at the UN General Assembly, the sector has never been more relevant - nor more needed.

Travel & Tourism Development Index 2021: Rebuilding for a Sustainable and Resilient Future

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By the numbers: world travel & tourism council releases annual global economic impact report.

April 07, 2021 By Aaron Szyf, Economist , U.S. Travel Association

“By the Numbers” is a periodic look at data on the travel economy from sources outside of the U.S. Travel Association, examining how the numbers align with U.S. Travel’s own research and analysis. This iteration looks at the World Travel and Tourism Council’s annual Economic Impact Report on the losses to the global travel economy in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) recently released its  annual Economic Impact Report . It revealed the devastating impact of the pandemic on global travel, which suffered a loss of almost $4.5 trillion. International travel spending globally plummeted by 69% in 2020, slightly less than the  76% decline in international travel spending in the U.S.  Domestic travel spending fell by a lower 45% thanks to internal travel that still took place in some countries.

Since the U.S. is one of those key markets that managed to sustain a moderate level of domestic travel throughout the pandemic, domestic travel spending in the U.S. declined by a comparatively smaller 36% in 2020.

GDP  Due to the disproportionate loss in the travel industry compared to the overall global economy, the sector’s contribution to global GDP fell from 10.4% in 2019 to just 5.5% in 2020. This translates into a 49% decline in travel’s global economic output, compared to a 42% decline in travel’s economic output in the U.S.

Jobs More than 62 million travel jobs were lost globally—a drop of 19%. This number would have been exponentially higher if not for government retention schemes that supported travel jobs in many countries around the world. In the U.S., travel jobs declined by a significantly higher 34% in 2020.

Outlook  WTTC predicts a possible return of travel jobs to 2019 levels (both globally and for the U.S.) by 2022 and travel’s contribution to GDP by 2023 if the global vaccine rollout continues at pace and travel restrictions are relaxed prior to the 2021 summer season. It must be noted that this is a “best case” scenario. There are possible downside risks, including a slower relaxation of restrictions, slower vaccine rollout or a premature phasing out of government job protection schemes that can slow the recovery.

U.S. Travel’s forecast—which focuses on travel spending rather than jobs or contribution to GDP—calls for a longer recovery timeline for the U.S. travel industry (2024/2025) since it is predicated on a “baseline scenario” that takes these risks into account.

U.S. Travel

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World Travel & Tourism Council Publishes Annual Report

Key takeaways.

• After a 50.4% decline in 2020, the industry saw a 21.7% rebound in 2022, with varying regional recoveries.
• Asia-Pacific suffered a 59% drop, possibly returning to 2019 levels by next year. North America rebounded by 23.1% in 2021.
• Predictions estimate a sectoral return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023, generating 16 million new tourism jobs.

London, United Kingdom–World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) published its annual ‘Travel & Tourism Economic Impact’ report for 2022 in August. The report illuminated the present dynamics of the global travel industry following the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the report, global tourism’s contribution to overall GDP fell by 50.4% in 2020 compared to the previous year. 2022 was better, with an average global recovery of 21.7%; some regions showed better recovery than others.

The Asia-Pacific region suffered the greatest, with a fall of 59%. The report states that this region might be the only one to achieve its 2019 levels by the end of next year. 

North America experienced a fall of 45.5% and recovered by 23.1% in 2021.

Returning to the normal

The report noted that in 2022, the sector could grow at an even faster rate and is expected to return to 2019 levels and create 16 million new jobs in the tourism sector by the end of 2023.

The Latin America region fell 45.5% but was the quickest to bounce back, showing a recovery of 23.1%, and 3.6 million new jobs are estimated.

Africa experienced a recovery of 23.5%, and 14 million jobs are estimated to be created by the end of next year. 

The Middle East experienced the slowest recovery after experiencing a fall of 50% in 2020 and rebounding by 15.9% this year. The tourism sector is estimated to create 3.6 million jobs.

Europe’s travel and tourism sectors’ contribution to the economy rebounded by 28% in 2021, creating 8 million new jobs compared to 2022.

The World Travel & Tourism Council is a forum for the travel and tourism industry. It comprises members from the global business community and works with governments to raise awareness about the travel and tourism industry.

What We Think

The WTTC report reveals promising strides in tourism’s revival but highlights regional disparities. To ensure sustainable recovery, harmonizing strategies and fostering international cooperation are crucial.

Embracing adaptive measures and prioritizing eco-conscious tourism practices could foster a more equitable and resilient industry resurgence.

Collaborative efforts focusing on community support, innovative marketing, and infrastructural advancements will play a pivotal role in fortifying global tourism’s trajectory towards stability and growth.

Check out the report here .

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WTTC report on economic value gained by cities from tourism – shift towards the east

The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) has published a report on a topic that is slightly unusual: namely, the economic value of tourism to cities, taking into account its contribution to GDP and employment as well as the usual traveller 'spend.'

The main conclusion is inescapable.

While 'old world' cities in Europe still top the list, as well as North American resort cities such as Orlando and Las Vegas , there is a shift in favour of Asia Pacific . Beijing , for example, is expected to more than double its tourism sector value to USD77 billion in the next 10 years, leapfrogging the current first-placed Paris .

Where actual tourist spend alone is concerned, the top two cities in 2022 were Dubai and Doha, both helped by the Soccer World Cup being played in Qatar .

Again, Asia Pacific cities are expected to overtake or challenge them in the next 10 years.

• World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) reports on the world's top city tourist destinations.
• Paris leads on tourism contribution to GDP and employment.
• But Asia Pacific cities will soon be moving up the table - Beijing is expected to leapfrog Paris .
• In some cases tourism can be 40-60% of a city's GDP.
• Gambling cities like Las Vegas and Macau have fared particularly well.
• Tourists migrated to beach resorts and the countryside, but they are now returning to cities.
• Middle East cities head the table of actual tourist spend, but are again likely to be overtaken by several in Asia Pacific .

WTTC reports on 82 cities globally for tourism statistics and prospects

The World Travel & Tourism Council ( WTTC ) has reported on the top city destinations for 2022 based on the travel and tourism sector's direct contribution to city GDP.

There were 82 cities around the world that were put under the microscope.

The report, sponsored by Visa and researched in partnership with Oxford Economics, analysed key indicators in these cities, such as Travel & Tourism's contribution to GDP, employment and traveller spend.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, says that although major cities such as London, Paris and New York will remain global powerhouses, over the next few years Beijing , Shanghai, and Macau will be moving up the list of top city destinations.

Paris tops the tourism value list

WTTC revealed the French capital Paris as the world's most powerful city destination, but predicts that it will be overtaken by Beijing by 2032.

The Paris travel and tourism sector was valued at USD35.6 billion in 2022. That value is expected to increase to USD49.1 billion by 2032, but Paris is forecast to drop to third place in the global ranking. Travel and tourism represents 3.5% of Paris ' economy.

Tourism to France is not limited to Paris of course. France has extensive Mediterranean and Atlantic coastal areas and charming countryside, but Paris has always held a particular attraction to visitors from around the world.

According to CAPA data (2018, the most recent available), the UK provided the highest number of visitors there (14.6%), just ahead of Germany and Belgium / Luxembourg .

But not all those visitors arrive by air, by any means. There is an increasing push in Europe - France especially - to move to other forms of transport.

Chinese visitors amounted to 2.5% of the total, but that is expected to increase rapidly.

Visitor arrivals by market for 2018 - France

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and France La Direction Générale des Entreprises (DGE)

Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport was the ninth busiest globally in 2019 and the second busiest in Europe .

Beijing projected to 'leapfrog' Paris

In second place was the Chinese capital Beijing , with a Travel & Tourism sector worth nearly USD33 billion.

However, WTTC predicts that Beijing will leapfrog Paris within the next 10 years, growing to a "staggering" USD77 billion.

China has, of course, been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with travel restrictions only having been removed in the second week of Jan-2023.

In 2019 the vast majority of visitors to China as a whole came from Hong Kong , followed by Macau , which are both 'Special Administrative Areas'.

No country apart from Taiwan provided more than 4% of visitors.

Visitor arrivals by market for 2019 - China

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and China National Tourism Administration

China 's national Travel & Tourism sector has witnessed phenomenal growth over the last decade as the country has invested in new hotels, transport infrastructure and new tourist destinations.

However, what the WTTC may not have taken into account is the potential for initial reluctance on the part of western tourists to travel to China while there remains such a high prevalence of COVID-19.

Beijing 's main airport has spiralled down the rankings during the pandemic

Beijing Capital Airport was the world's second busiest in 2019, falling to seventh place in 2020, after which it spiralled down the rankings on account of continuing lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Conversely, the new Beijing Daxing Airport did grow throughout that period.

Tourism represents a fifth of Orlando's economy

In third spot is Orlando, Florida, home to Disneyworld and an array of other theme park-style entertainment in the area and the most visited tourist destination in the US .

The travel and tourism sector there was valued at USD31.1 billion; it is expected to grow to USD45 billion but drop to fourth rank by 2032, despite growing by 50%.

Travel and tourism represents 20.4% of Orlando's economy. The main countries from which visitors to Florida generally came in 2021 were Colombia , Canada , Mexico , Peru , and Ecuador .

That small city of only 300,000 people had the world's 31 st busiest airport in 2019 ( Orlando International ), and is also served by the smaller Orlando Sanford Airport .

China returns in fourth place in the shape of Shanghai, where tourism was valued at USD29.7 billion.

Shanghai's tourism value is expected to grow to USD70.9 billion and it will become the second-ranked city destination by 2032.

In 2019 Shanghai's Pudong (international) airport was the eighth busiest in the world, just behind Paris CDG .

Las Vegas retains its position on the list

Next on the list, and not unexpectedly, is Las Vegas , the world's gambling capital and where tourism value was USD23 billion.

Las Vegas is the only city in the top 10 list which holds its place, firmly staying as the fifth largest city destination.

The city is expected to grow to USD36.5 billion in tourism value and remain in fifth place by 2032.

Travel and tourism represents 16.3% of Las Vegas ' economy.

Las Vegas and Orlando are the only cities currently in the top 10 most powerful city destinations based on the sector's value, being cities that rely heavily on the sector as a share of the city's overall economy (16.3% and 20.4% respectively).

Passenger traffic at the recently renamed Harry Reid (previously McCarran) International Airport slumped by 57% in 2020 on account of COVID-19, but grew back by 79% in 2021.

In 2022 (Jan-Nov) traffic was up again by 35%, to close to 2019 levels overall.

Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport : annual traffic, passenger numbers/growth, 2019-2022

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport reports

Other notable cities in the report include:

• New York : USD21.2 billion value, increasing to USD34.3 billion by 2032 and dropping to seventh.

New York's three main airports collectively achieved in excess of 100 million passengers in 2022 - New York being one of only two cities (the other is London) to have done so.

• Tokyo : USD18 billion, increasing to USD29.9 billion and dropping to 10 th .
• Mexico City : USD16.8 billion tourism value in 2022.

Mexico is still assimilating a new airport into its aviation system, making three airports in all.

• London : USD14.9 billion.

That may seem a low figure for what is historically a big draw, and especially in light of the fall in the value of the pound (GBP) against the dollar (USD). But this measure is of contribution to GDP rather than direct 'spend' (see later).

But in any case, it was still influenced by a delay in removing travel barriers early in the year. That was then followed by mass flight cancellations owing to staff shortages, and latterly by flight caps put in place by airports and strikes by key airport and border control workers, which have made the UK capital less of an attractive proposition to travellers.

• Guangzhou : USD13.1 billion, increasing to USD34.9 billion and ranked sixth.

Guangzhou 's airport was the world's busiest in 2020, overtaking facilities such as Dubai , Beijing Capital and even Atlanta - although that was largely due to travel restrictions in these destinations not being so severe compared to other Chinese and world cities.

There is a multitude of tourist attractions in this city, which is visited by many Chinese residents each year, but its tourism statistics might also be inflated by miscounting (or correctly counting - employment is one of the indices) some of the enormous 'floating population' - migrants who come in each year to work for short periods.

• Macau is expected to grow to USD33.3 billion and be ranked eighth by 2032.
• Bangkok is expected to grow to USD31.5 billion and be ranked ninth by 2032.

Bangkok hoping to boost tourism with more Chinese visitors

Bangkok is an interesting case, only just getting into the top 10 of this tourism value table, despite being the world's most visited city in 2019.

COVID-19 had a particularly devastating impact on travel to Thailand , to the capital and also to regional tourist cities like Chiang Mai , as well as to coastal and island resorts, allied to what might fairly be described as draconian restrictions on movement within the country.

The Thai authorities are welcoming the return of Chinese visitors, and actively encouraging it, but at what potential price?

They accounted for only 2.5% of visitors in 2022, compared to 27.6% (almost 11 million) in 2019 - the highest ratio by far.

Visitor arrivals by market for Thailand in 2019

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and Thailand 's Ministry of Tourism and Sports

Tourists migrated to beach resorts and the countryside, but are now returning to cities

WTTC makes the interesting observation that as borders reopened, many leisure travellers swapped city visits for less populated destinations, such as coastal and rural destinations, but its latest research shows that city holidays are back and growing in popularity.

Also they observed that tourists will always have favourite cities that they will return to. But as other countries prioritise Travel & Tourism, we will see new and emerging destinations challenging what have historically been the favourites.

Outside the top 10, other cities showing promising growth as emerging destinations include the Polish capital of Warsaw , which has experienced a 14.4% increase in its GDP contribution in 2022 versus 2019.

A new Central Polish Airport is to be built close to Warsaw , connected to the major Polish cities by high-speed rail lines.

Sanya , the Chinese coastal city that has become a popular tourist destination in recent years as holidaymakers visited its stunning beaches, witnessed a 10.2% growth during that same period.

Sanya 's Travel & Tourism sector represents an incredible 43.6% of the city's total economy.

Macau 's tourism sector accounts for 40% of the economy

Meanwhile, Macau 's Travel & Tourism sector ( Macau is another world-scale gambling resort) represents 40.4% of the city's total economy - double that even of Orlando and Las Vegas , and well over 10 times the ratio in Paris (3.5%).

Dubai heads the list of highest international traveller spend

The WTTC report also lists the top cities with the biggest international traveller spend (as opposed to the 'contribution to GDP and employment' calculation) in 2022.

This table reveals more of the big hitters in tourism expenditure in, for example, Middle East countries where the GDP/employment contribution will be relatively small on account of oil and other commercial revenues.

Doha will certainly have been boosted by the FIFA Soccer World Cup as will have been (to a lesser degree) Dubai , where many fans stayed.

London figures more prominently in this table. In fact, the amount of tourist spend exceeds the 'tourism value' that arose from it, which perhaps the WTTC should explain to readers.

Similarly with Paris , which is something of a conundrum. The tourism value calculation there is USD35.6 billion, placing it at the top of the table.

But international tourism expenditure was just USD9.76 billion, which is totally at odds with the comparison in London.

Moreover, why was travel and tourism only 3.5% of Paris ' GDP in 2022, even allowing for protracted lockdowns and associated business closures? That is a very low figure given the vast number of hotels, cafes and restaurants and tourist attractions, not to mention Disneyland Paris on the city's eastern periphery.

Top cities for international spend will be in Asia Pacific and the Middle East

In 2032 WTTC predicts the top 10 cities with biggest international traveller spend will change to be:

The drift again is clearly towards the east.

All but two of the cities are in Asia Pacific or the Middle East .

WTTC concludes its report by saying that over the next decade Travel & Tourism is on track to become a key driver of economic growth once again, with faster GDP growth than other sectors, generating 126 million new jobs around the world.

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Special report: The power of the GCC as a source market for global tourism

The size and monetary value of the outbound GCC tourism market were never in question – but what are its challenges, opportunities and key growth drivers in the foreseeable future?

That the GCC market comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, can prove to be an incredibly lucrative source market for global tourism is beyond doubt.

According to figures shared by the United Nations World Travel Organisation (UNWTO), international tourism expenditure from the GCC climbed from $40bn in 2010 to $60bn in 2017, with per capita expenditure of individuals from the GCC 6.5 times higher than other regions worldwide. Tourism boards across the world are only too aware of the fact.

“All over the world, [visitors from the GCC] are known as travellers with high solvency: their average spending on foreign trips is $1,700-$3,000,” says Anastasia Popova, head of International Division, Moscow City Tourism Committee.

While outbound tourism from the GCC means tens of billions spent in the destination countries, it also presents an opportunity for entities within the originating country. These could imply revenue streams for tour operators, airlines and travel insurance providers, among others, which stand to gain when the country’s residents book their foreign trip. According to data shared by Research and Markets, the Saudi revenue from its outbound travel and tourism market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 18.21 per cent from 2021-2028, reaching $27bn by 2028.

There are positive figures for almost all the other GCC markets. The UAE, which has the Arab world’s second-largest economy – and which has an approximately 90 per cent expat population – is expected to gather a revenue of $30.5bn by 2028 by way of outbound travel, Qatar will raise $13bn by then, and Kuwait will notch up $17bn in revenue from this avenue by 2028 (up from approximately $12bn in 2019.)

A pandemic-proof region  The pandemic has undoubtedly pushed global tourism off a cliff. The UNWTO said that in 2020 international arrivals plummeted by more than 70 per cent, to levels not seen in over three decades. It estimated that the decline resulted in a loss of about 1 billion arrivals and $1.1 trillion by way of international tourism receipts.

At the time, UNWTO projected a rebound in international tourism over the second half of 2021, though cautioned that a return to 2019 levels in terms of international arrivals could take between 2½-4 years. However, preliminary data released earlier this year by UNWTO showed that while there was a 4 per cent year-on-year increase in international tourists’ arrivals in 2021, overall, these figures were still 72 per cent below pre-pandemic levels of 2019, highlighting the need for a more sustained and uniform recovery.

There are tourism destinations that bucked the trend last year – especially when it comes to attracting visitors from the GCC. Switzerland is a prime example. According to figures shared by Switzerland Tourism as well as from the Swiss Department of Statistics, from July-November 2021, there was a 2,107 per cent growth in the number of arrivals from the UAE compared to the same period in 2020 – it isn’t unusual for tourism boards to report such large differences over 2020 when most of the world was under lockdown for several months and stringent travel restrictions remained in place.

However, Switzerland Tourism’s highlight is that the July-November 2021 arrivals of 201,670 people from the UAE was 19.5 per cent higher than the 168,701 individuals that travelled from the UAE over the same period in 2019 – which means that as far as visits from the UAE are concerned. Switzerland is beating its pre-pandemic figures. From the GCC alone, Swiss Tourism received 352,956 visitors, who in turn generated 15.7 million overnights in the Alpine country from July-November last year. Pre-pandemic figures shared by Switzerland suggested that Saudi and the UAE account for around 35 per cent of its arrivals from the GCC, while Kuwait and Qatar recorded 13 per cent, and Bahrain and Oman followed at between 2-3 per cent.

Another region that is bucking the trend is the UK.

“Flight bookings data from ForwardKeys has shown signs of recovery from the Middle East when it comes to arrivals into the UK in recent months. The most favourable week so far for the Middle East was in late November, when arrivals reached 78 per cent of pre-Covid levels, outperforming all other global regions,” says Jennifer Huntley, head of partnerships, APMEA region for VisitBritain.

“In our most recent year of full data, 2019, 1.2 million visitors came to the UK from the GCC, and those visitors spent GBP2.6bn during their stays. GCC visitors stayed on average 12 nights, and spent GBP2,151 per visit. On average, from 2017-2019, 45 per cent of visits from the GCC originated from the UAE, 19 per cent from Saudi Arabia, 16 per cent from Kuwait, 13 per cent from Qatar, 4 per cent from Oman, and 3 per cent from Bahrain,” explains Huntley.

Huntley’s assessment of the lion’s share of visits from the region coming from the UAE, is supported by data released by the World Travel & Tourism Council in 2019 which found that while Saudi Arabia was the leading international market for outbound departures from the UAE with a share of 30 per cent, it was followed next by the UK at 17 per cent. The collective tourism potential of the GCC is further underscored by other destinations including Moscow. “The growing interest in Moscow is confirmed by statistics such as in the first nine months of 2021, there were 107,000 visitors from the Middle East, including almost 19,000 visitors from the UAE, 9,840 visitors from Qatar, and 3,815 visitors from Saudi Arabia,” observes Moscow tourism committee’s Popova.

A burgeoning GCC source market is true for the Far East as well, is also reflected in statistics by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). “In 2019, Japan saw a record high number of visitors from the GCC countries with 28,222 visitors making the journey, a 28.4 per cent increase on the previous year and the figure doubling in the past five years,” says Tomoko Kikuchi, executive director of JNTO’s Dubai office. Apart from the often-visited European, Asian and American haunts for GCC travellers, there are new markets that are only just opening to them – namely Israel.

“Following the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism held the first virtual joint tourism forum of the Emirates and Israel in December 2020. One of the main purposes of the forum was to create connections between Israel and UAE’s tourism industries and to initiate collaboration between the two markets in the tourism field,” says Ksenia Kobiakov, director of New Markets Development Department, at the Israel Ministry of Tourism.

“The UAE is a brand-new market for our ministry, specifically for our New Markets Development Department. We see great potential in incoming tourism from that destination. Therefore, we have put in action – and are already actively implementing – a detailed plan to promote tourism from UAE and Bahrain,” adds Kobiakov.

Local connections Realising the need to tailor their messaging for the region, global tourism boards are going the distance. JNTO, for example, opened its first Middle East office in Dubai last November.

By 2030, Japan intends to attract 60 million visitors with a projected annual consumption of JPY 15 trillion – and to get there, it’s going to need to make a big splash in the Middle East.

“According to a survey conducted by the JNTO in six GCC countries from May to June 2021, approximately 30 per cent of respondents answered that they would like to go to Japan in the future. Conversely, almost 40 per cent of the respondents answered: ‘I don’t know much about Japan’, presenting an opportunity for the JNTO Dubai office to broaden awareness and increase the number of visitors from the GCC,” says JNTO’s Dubai-based Kikuchi on the reason why it decided to open a representative office in Dubai in the midst of a pandemic.

Also last year, the UNWTO opened its first Middle East office in Riyadh in order to coordinate its initiatives and policies across 13 member states within the region.At times, attempts are being made at direct exchanges with local tourism boards from the region to learn best practices as well as to facilitate an exchange of knowledge.

“I am in touch with Dubai Tourism to develop collaborations,” says Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, deputy mayor of Jerusalem and co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council. “Our tourism ministries are in contact and working on [ways] to bring value to each other. We are getting requests about trips to Israel from a cross-section of the public in the Gulf.”

Expo 2020 Dubai particularly has been a focal point in the efforts of countries to drive tourism from the region to their destinations. As Kobiakov from Israel’s ministry of tourism points out, Israel had its pavilion at Expo Dubai 2020 opened by Israel Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov.

VisitBritain, VisitScotland and Tourism Ireland meanwhile turned to the Expo to launch 10 new itineraries across the UK at the mega event. Some studies have also correlated a direct measurement of the impact that the Expo will have on driving out-bound tourism.

“Middle East tourism accounts for 1.3 per cent of the arrivals to Italy. It’s estimated that a 5 per cent increase of tourist flows to Italy following Expo Dubai would generate an economic value of EUR25.5m a year, accord-ing to the School of Management of Milan’s Politecnico,” says Paolo Glisenti, commissioner-general of Italy at Expo 2020 Dubai.The Expo has allowed international tourism boards operating in the UAE one more platform other than the traditional annual Arabian Travel Market held in Dubai every year.

“The Moscow City Tourism Committee will continue to forge links with travel influencers, major tour operators and MICE agencies in the region taking part in Arabian Travel Market and events dedicated to the business travel: Meetings Arabia and Luxury Travel Congress (MALT) and Qatar Business and Luxury Travel Congress (QBLT),” explains Popova.

Foreign tourism boards, as part of their local outreach initiatives, are also working closely with influencers from the region. Switzerland’s tourism board, for example, collaborated with Raha Moharrak, the youngest Arab and first Saudi woman to climb Mount Everest, as well as Sara Murad and Haya Yasmeen to participate in the Swiss “100% Women” initiative where 700 women from 20 countries scaled all of the 4,000-metre-plus peaks in Switzerland last year.

In another initiative, Swiss Tourism also partnered with the wildly popular Dubai-based Supercar Blondie who undertook a Grand Tour of Switzerland and produced content for her over seven million followers on YouTube and close to 10 million followers on Instagram.

Growth drivers There are going to be a handful of key drivers in growing the outbound GCC tourism market. These include intra-GCC travel whereby residents of countries are encouraged to visit other GCC markets, the role of airlines and finally, governmental policies that encourage travel.

According to data shared by the GCC Statistical Centre in Muscat, in 2019, the percentage of intra-tourism among GCC countries reached approximately 28.7 per cent of the total number of foreign tourists arriving within the GCC states. Reportedly, in Bahrain, 95.6 per cent of all the international tourists it received were from other GCC countries. The numbers varied for countries such as the UAE where 15.4 per cent of all its international tourists were from GCC countries, whereas in Saudi that figure stood at 26.5 per cent – indicating the potential of each GCC country to either further encourage travel from within the GCC, or as in the case of Bahrain, encourage it to open up further to tourists from beyond the GCC.

Playing a crucial role in stimulating an appetite to travel beyond national borders are airlines. Within months of the signing of the Abraham Accords, several carriers including flydubai, Etihad, Emirates and Gulf Air announced direct flights would begin operating to Israel. Also, budget airlines have recently ramped up operations to aid those who are travelling on modest budgets.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, for example, an ultra-low-cost carrier and a joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings, began operations out of the UAE capital in January 2021. “Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has successfully operated more than 1,000 flights since its launch in January 2021, with over 500 flights taking place in the fourth quarter of last year. Q4 results were particularly impressive after the easing of travel restrictions in September, with load factors at nearly 85 per cent in December,” says Michael Berlouis, managing director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.

“Wizz Air Abu Dhabi offers 37 destinations from the UAE to 22 different countries. Further growth East will build on the success of the first year of operations and capitalise on pent-up demand for travel.”

Apart from the low-cost model, other airlines such as the full-service carrier Emirates, have entered into agreements directly with foreign tourism boards to encourage travel. Emirates recently signed an MoU with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Service of The Bahamas to roll out joint initiatives to promote tourism to the Caribbean country, including via its Emirates Holidays platform. Another avenue to grow outbound tourism will be governmental and administrative policies, including visa liberalisation measures.

A few months ago, a visa waiver agreement between Israel and the UAE for citizens of the two countries took effect, and the results are already being felt on the ground.

“Thanks to the elimination of the need for visas since October 10, and the re-opening of Israel borders, we are looking forward to seeing a major increase in the number of visitors from the GCC. According to our estimates, Israel expects to welcome around 100,000 visitors from the GCC annually as long as the tourism situation worldwide goes back to normal,” says Israel tourism ministry’s Kobiakov.

The sentiment is echoed by Moscow City tourism’s Popova who adds, “The introduction of electronic visas, suspended because of the pandemic, will be a great advantage and will contribute to increasing the number of tourists from GCC to Moscow.”

Healthy forecasts are shared by VistiBritain’s Huntley too, who notes, “The most recent forecasts from Oxford Economics/VisitBritain predict that visits from the GCC will more than double in 2022 compared to 2021, reaching 550,000 in total. Visits in 2023 are forecasted to be a further 50 per cent higher, reaching 828,000.”

The pandemic and its numerous curveballs notwithstanding, forecasts such as these show that the growth drivers are primed to support an exponential growth in GCC’s outbound tourism market.

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WTTC, UN Tourism and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance join forces to support Nature Positive Tourism

M ADRID, 22nd April, 2024 (WAM) – The leading players of Travel & Tourism globally have published a landmark joint report setting out their joint plan to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

Launched on Earth Day 2024, "Nature Positive Travel & Tourism in Action" is the creation of the high-level 'Nature Positive Tourism Partnership, made up of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the World Tourism Organisation (UN Tourism) and the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (the Alliance).

Developed in collaboration with specialist consultancy ANIMONDIAL, the report is the sector's pledge to support the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), the UN's Biodiversity Plan.

It presents more than 30 case studies of inspiring and progressive actions from around the world involving large and small businesses, national and local government agencies, civil society groups, and inter-sectoral partnerships.

By offering actionable guidance and insights, this report not only highlights the intrinsic link between biodiversity and tourism's resilience, but also empowers businesses to become stewards of nature.

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: "This historic partnership with Travel & Tourism heavyweights is a significant step in our collective journey towards a more sustainable and responsible sector. This report is not merely a publication but a movement towards integrating environmental stewardship into the core of travel experiences. As we celebrate Earth Day, let us heed the call to nurture and protect our destinations. Our sector's reliance on nature, coupled with our expertise in creating inspiring and memorable experiences, means we are ideally placed to be guardians of nature."

Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, said: "For years, UN Tourism has been at the forefront of integrating tourism into the broader UN biodiversity agenda, including supporting the work of the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). This pivotal new collaboration among key global players sets a robust framework for sustainable practices that not only drive significant impact but also exemplify the power of united efforts in conserving biodiversity. This report is a testimony to what we can achieve together for nature's preservation, inspiring a global movement towards more sustainable and resilient tourism."

Glenn Mandziuk, Sustainable Hotel Alliance CEO, said: "This report is a milestone for Travel and Tourism, representing our commitment as an industry to protect and conserve nature. The Alliance is proud to contribute to and collaborate on this insightful and action-orientated report which will bring tangible change to destinations around the world, supporting biodiversity. Nature underpins our society, economies and indeed our very existence. The hospitality industry is today a leader amongst industries in its Nature Positive approach and this report signifies how much our industry understands the true value of nature."

America still has the world's busiest airport

• New data on the world's busiest airports in 2023 reveals the latest trends in global travel. 
• 8.5 billion passengers traveled by plane last year, almost marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.   
• Airports in Asia and the Middle East became busier, but the US has once again clinched the top spot. 

International travel is almost back to pre-pandemic levels, according to the just-released list of the world's busiest airports in 2023.

8.5 billion passengers traveled globally by plane last year — up from 7 billion passengers in 2022 .

The rise in air travel marks a recovery to 93.8% of levels in 2019 before the world shut down, according to preliminary data published by the Airports Council International (ACI), a trade association that includes 2,600 airports worldwide.

Increasing travel to airports in Asia and the Middle East was one of the key trends to emerge from the data, with Dubai International Airport jumping from the fifth to the second busiest airport in the world.

Airports in India, Japan, and Turkey also made it into the top 10 and were some of the biggest movers in terms of annual gains in passenger numbers.

As the world's largest domestic market for flights , US airports still make up five of the busiest airports in the world, with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport retaining its No. 1 position.

Despite tough global economic conditions, there was "a growing inclination towards travel," Luis Felipe de Oliveira, the ACI's world director general, said in a press release.

"Airports continue to demonstrate their resilience and adaptability amidst the challenges posed by the ever-evolving landscape of global travel," said Oliveira.

Here's a closer look at the top 10 busiest airports in the world.

10. Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi, India

Passengers: 72.2 million

2022 ranking: 9th

Delhi's main airport, Indira Gandhi International Airport, saw a 21.4% increase in year-on-year traffic. While it has dropped a place this year, Delhi has grown significantly as a transport hub since 2019, when it sat at number 19 in the rankings.

9. Chicago O’Hare International Airport, USA

Passengers: 73.9 million

2022 ranking: 4th

Travel through Chicago O'Hare jumped by 8.1% throughout 2023. O'Hare is a hub airport for domestic travel, particularly for United and American Airlines flights. It is also a focus city for low-cost rivals Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines.

8. Los Angeles International Airport, USA

Passengers: 75.1 million

2022 ranking: 6th

Travel through LAX was up 13.8% in 2023, however, compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, passengers at the West Coast airport decreased by 14.8% — the largest decrease of any airport in the top ten rankings. LAX is a hub for a number of carriers, including Alaska Airlines, United, American, and Delta. But domestic travel at the airport shrunk dramatically as airlines cut the number of flights following a series of meltdowns in 2022.

7. Istanbul Airport, Turkey

Passengers: 76 million

2022 ranking: 7th

Passenger numbers at Turkey's Istanbul airport have increased by 18.3%, making it the only transit hub to keep level with its previous ranking in the top 10. Notably, traffic through the airport has jumped by 45.7% since 2019.

6. Denver International Airport, USA

Passengers: 77.8 million

2022 ranking: 3rd

Denver Airport has dropped down several places on the list but still shows strong signs of growth in terms of passengers. In the last year traffic through the Colorado airport was up 12.3%, and it has also grown 12.8% from pre-pandemic levels.

5. Tokyo Haneda International Airport, Japan

Passengers: 78.7 million

2022 ranking: 16th

Japan's Tokyo Haneda Airport saw the largest increase in traffic by far, with passenger numbers surging by 55.1%. Some of that jump can be explained by a lag in tourism as Japan only reopened its borders in late 2022. Despite the jump, Tokyo Haneda is still 7.9% under its 2019 level of traffic. This January the airport made headlines after a fatal collision involving a Japan Airlines plane and a coastguard vehicle killed five people.

4. London Heathrow, UK

Passengers: 79.2 million

2022 ranking: 8th

Travel through the UK's largest airport shot up by 218% in 2022 and has once again made strong gains throughout 2023, jumping by a slightly more modest 28.5%. The airport has credited travel from the Asia-Pacific region as a major factor in its increased passenger numbers. It hopes to supersede its pre-pandemic level of traffic in 2024 and hit a record 81.4 million passengers, the airport said in a report published in December.

3. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, USA

Passengers: 81.8 million

2022 ranking: 2nd

Dallas/Fort Worth airport , known as DFW, is American Airlines' busiest hub and the departure city for many of the airline's international flights. Last year traffic through the airport jumped by 11.4%.

2. Dubai International Airport, UAE

Passengers: 87 million

2022 ranking: 5th

Dubai took the number 2 ranking in the list for the first time, thanks to a significant 31.7% increase in passenger numbers. Dubai's new position reflects the heavy investment that has gone into the aviation industry and boosting tourism in the region.

1. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, USA

Passengers: 104.7 million

2022 ranking: 1st

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport comes in at No. 1 as the busiest airport in the world, a position it has held for more than two decades. In 2023, the Atlanta airport saw an 11.7% increase in passenger numbers.

Here's a look at what it takes to be an air traffic controller at the world's busiest airport.

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​MEC for Economic Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs, Mr. Siboniso Duma

Mayor of eThekwini, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda 

South African Tourism  Board Chair, Ms Makhosazana Khanyile  

DDGs of the Department of Tourism

Tourism Kwa Zulu-Natal Board Chair and Board Members 

The City of Ethekwini Executive council  members  

Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC Board Chair and Board members 

CEO of South African Tourism, Ms Nombulelo Guliwe  

The Executive Management of South African Tourism

The Executive Management of Tourism Kwa Zulu Natal

The Executive Management of Durban Tourism 

The Executive Management of  Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC

CEOs of Provincial Tourism Authorities

The Executive management  of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa 

Industry Associations,  valued partners, and Our Tourism Stakeholders Valued Media representatives, 

Ladies and Gentlemen

We are less than a month away from gathering at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre for the 2024 edition of Africa's Travel Indaba.  

I am, therefore, delighted to be here today to share with you, our plans and state of readiness for Africa's premier travel exhibition. 

Africa’s Travel Indaba remains one of the top four global trade travel and tourism trade shows. 

The sheer scale and the number of delegates that attend to this is not only testament to this but also speaks to the value that this trade continues to provide to all delegates.  

The upcoming Africa's Travel Indaba, scheduled to be held from May 13th to 16th, will continue to build on the longstanding successes of this trade event. 

Africa’s Travel Indaba's value lies in its targeted opportunities for networking and connecting to advance meaningful business for buyers and exhibitors. 

With 990 confirmed exhibitors from 26 African countries, including newcomers Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Guinea, and over 1,000 buyers representing 36 countries, Africa’s Travel Indaba is a truly global trade show that is not to be missed.  

• Key highlights for this show include:  
• Business Opportunity Networking Day – Africa’s Travel Indaba’s dedicated educational day that will be featuring curated content on topics and trends shaping the tourism industry.   
• Speed marketing sessions between buyers and exhibitors and exhibitors with fellow exhibitors.   
• dedicated airline pavilion for airlines serving the African continent.   
• Match-making diary that enables exhibitors to arrange pre-scheduled meetings with key decision-makers from our key tourism source markets.    
• Including the return of the hidden gems pavilion with 120 SMME’s from around the country.   

Given the above, it is clear Africa’s Travel Indaba, is an expression of a continent that has been hard at work to addressing various challenges and barriers to promote seamless travel.  

As you are aware, the show's primary objective is to spotlight Africa's leisure tourism offerings.  As the continent's premier travel and tourism tradeshow, Africa's Travel Indaba is a critical platform for showcasing Africa's diversity and fostering collaboration among its n ations.  

This year's Africa's Travel Indaba theme is "Unlimited Africa," emphasising the vast array of experiences and products available across the continent. 

Through the numerous insight-driven sessions led by various experts from across the globe, Africa’s Travel is a narrative of excellence. 

This is the narrative that encompasses breathtaking landscapes and warm hospitality. 

Africa’s Travel Indaba is a showcase of our collective story as Africans.   Contrary to outdated stereotypes portraying Africa as a "dark continent," the African story is one of resilience and growth - Africa’s Travel Indaba showcases this story best.  

With Africa boasting abundant natural beauty and a variety of outdoor and recreational products that align with these insights, our continent is better positioned to take advantage of the growing demand for African products and experiences. 

Africa's Travel Indaba provides a perfect platform to showcase all we offer.

Africa’s Travel Indaba is proudly Pan African  

The timing of the event in May is not coincidental. 

May holds special significance as Africa Month, a time when we celebrate our African identity and strive to foster unity among the people of our continent.  

Africa Month traces its roots back to May 1963, when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor to the African Union, was established.

In subsequent years, following the attainment of independence by all member states and the end of apartheid, in the case of South Africa, there was consensus on the necessity to shift focus from the struggle for decolonisation towards fostering greater cooperation and integration to propel the continent's growth and economic development.

This resulted in the establishment of the African Union, which was officially launched at the Durban ICC in 2002.   

As a firm believer in tourism's significant potential to fuel economic growth and development across the continent, I find it fitting for Africa's Travel Indaba to take place at the same venue where the AU was founded and that it is taking place during the month highlighting our interdependence and interconnectedness as Africans.

Importance of Africa's Travel Indaba

Economic and cultural impacts are central to the success of Africa's Travel Indaba.

The trade exhibition holds immense significance for the tourism sector and the broader economy.  

Our post-event survey reveals that Africa's Travel Indaba 2023 had a total economic contribution of R1.2 billion.  

This was made up of a direct contribution of approximately R408.6 million to the South African economy, while an additional contribution of R776.4 million was either indirect or induced.

Furthermore, Africa's Travel Indaba 2023 created or sustained 2,295 jobs. These include 1,374 direct, 186 indirect, and 735 induced jobs.  

Additionally, the event contributed R75 million to national government taxes.

Despite the subdued economic environment, we are optimistic that the 2024 instalment will match or surpass these figures.

Beyond the economic impact

Africa's Travel Indaba extends its influence beyond the short-term economic impact.  

Our survey further revealed that most attendees are inclined to advocate for South Africa as a destination.  

The survey indicates that 99% of participants will likely recommend South Africa to friends, peers, or colleagues.  

These participants said they adore the vast array of attractions and experiences.

Despite being a long-haul destination, they find the journey to South Africa worthwhile, with no shortage of immersive experiences, local interactions, and sophisticated luxury awaiting them upon arrival.

Insights from last year’s Indaba show that an impressive 99% of the buyers surveyed stated that the exhibitors had met their expectations.

There is something for everyone at Africa’s Travel Indaba, and we encourage all players in the tourism industry not to miss the opportunity to be part of the event.

Contribution of Tourism to Africa's Development

The African tourism sector is already making a substantial contribution to the continent's economy and development.  

According to data released by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) in November 2023, Africa's travel and tourism sector has the    potential to inject US$ 168 billion into the continent's economy and generate over 18 million new jobs over the next decade.

The report titled 'Unlocking Opportunities for Travel & Tourism Growth in Africa,' studies the historical trends of the Travel & Tourism sector in Africa and provides a forecast for the next decade. 

It also identifies the key opportunities and challenges that, if addressed, could propel the region’s sector to achieve even higher growth. 

The South African example

There is no better demonstration of the power of intracontinental travel than the Kenya-South Africa example which highlights importance of facilitation of intracontinental travel.

Between January and December 2023, arrivals from Kenya recorded a remarkable 99% increase compared to 2022, reaching 42,403 arrivals.  

Visa exemptions resulting in visa-free travel for Kenyans and South Africans between the two countries, as well as targeted destination marketing efforts, have been instrumental in achieving this great success and surge in arrival numbers from Kenya to South Africa  

We are starting to  witness a similar growth trend with Ghana since South Africa and Ghana announced a visa-waiver scheme on 1 November 2023, allowing citizens to travel freely between them. 

The visa-waiver allows for travel for periods of up to 90 days within a calendar year, for purposes of business or tourism.

Strategic partnerships in the aviation and hospitality sectors have also contributed to this growth. As an example, the codeshare agreement between Kenya Airways and South African Airways (SAA), which established direct flights between Nairobi and major South African cities, has enhanced accessibility and convenience for travellers, thereby stimulating tourism between the two countries.

In addition to this, several new routes have been launched here in South Africa since the last Africa's Travel Indaba. These include:

SAA commencing Johannesburg to Sao Paolo flights on October 31, 2023. In September 2023, South African Airways (SAA) announced the launch of the Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire route, flying three times weekly which started in November 2023. Furthermore,  South African Airways recently announced the resumption of direct operations to Australia, with the first flights departing for Perth in late April in a few days’ time on the 26th of April.   Airlink also announced a new route from Mbombela to Johannesburg and Mozambique, and this route is set to launch a route in July 2024.

These developments underscore the industriousness of the sector, with airline carriers playing a pivotal role.  

Hence, one of Africa's Travel Indaba highlights will be the airline/Aviation Pavilion, connecting aviation industry players with key decision-makers within our continent and across the globe.

The Role of SMMEs in Tourism

Africa's Travel Indaba also plays a significant role in our efforts to promote inclusivity within the tourism sector.  

Drawing from our insights, we understand that travellers seek more than just sightseeing; they crave immersive cultural encounters, delectable culinary experiences, and perhaps the chance to savour our finest wines.  

Above all, they yearn for new, unique, unforgettable experiences that will form the cornerstone of lasting memories.  

The presence of SMMEs at Africa's Travel Indaba, through the Department of Tourism,  ensures that these fresh and unexplored experiences, which enrich our destination's diverse offerings, are showcased fully.  

Through dynamic speed marketing sessions hosted by South African Tourism, in partnership with the greater tourism sector,  we aim to showcase this diversity further, ensuring that all visitors encounter and experience more genuinely unique and memorable offerings.

We all want small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) to grow into substantial players in this critical sector of our economy.  

However, we understand such transformation will not occur spontaneously but will require deliberate and sustained effort from all stakeholders.  

For this reason, we have implemented various programmes to ensure that our SMMEs get the much deserved and needed support.

At Africa's Travel Indaba, we continue to do this as we drive efforts of promoting the role of SMMEs, community empowerment, and economic sustainability within the tourism sector.  

The Department of Tourism’s  Market Access Support Programme (MASP) which offers small businesses  an opportunity to travel to and exhibit at national and international tourism trade shows to expose their offerings to more buyers, unlock market potential, grow their customer base and drive sales. 

I am delighted to announce that we will bring more than 120 SMMEs to exhibit at Africa's Travel Indaba this year. I am confident these exhibitors will find their event participation highly beneficial to their future growth.

I am excited that a lot is being done to promote rural and township tourism in South Africa.  

Earlier this year, the inaugural Township and Village Tourism Expo was hosted by the SA Township and Village Tourism Organisation (SATOVITO) at the Cradle of Humankind, showcasing initiatives and destinations that embody these principles, highlighting the importance of sustainable and community-centric tourism practices.

I am pleased that they are also joining us in the room here today and we will later hear from them​.  

Also joining us is a representative from Women in Tourism. Very importantly, this organisation exists to ensure that women are Respected, Recognized, Represented, and Rewarded in the sector.

It is important for me to highlight that the South African government remains fully committed to supporting Women in Tourism and collaborating in investing in mechanisms to address the barriers faced by women in the tourism sector.

Invitations to all delegates  

To our international delegates, we cannot wait to welcome you to  Africa's Travel Indaba, where an unforgettable experience awaits.  

We assure you; you will be  met with a wide variety of African tourism products and experiences ready to be packaged for the full value and benefit of the various traveller preferences and needs.   

As you arrive in our vibrant country next month, you'll be greeted with the warmth and hospitality that South Africa is renowned for.  

Even beyond the confines of the tradeshow venue, the beauty and allure of South Africa beckons.

Whether it's a safari adventure in one of our world-renowned game parks, an immersive rural or township experience or a stroll along the sun-kissed beaches of the Kwa Zulu-Natal province’s 600 km coastline, every moment promises to be filled with excitement.

We also warmly welcome our fellow brothers and sisters from the rest of the African  continent, who will be joining us for this event.  

Together, let us celebrate the spirit of unity and collaboration as we showcase the best of what our beloved African continent to the world.

For those who have yet to secure their spot, we urge you not to miss out on this opportunity to connect, engage, and forge new partnerships.  

Register now and be part of Africa's journey towards a brighter, more prosperous future in the global tourism landscape.

To the members of the media, thank you for your continued support and for contributing to advancing the story of us – the story of an unlimited Africa.  

At this year's Africa Travel Indaba, there will be plenty of stories for you. With topics such as the role of technology in tourism, updates on the latest tourism trends, the role of film and entertainment in destination marketing, more insights on our focus and marketing efforts, and a delightful showcase of our continent’s diverse offerings, there will be no shortage of stories.  

Given the number of exhibitors at Africa's Travel Indaba, there will be a lot of exciting news and developments to report on.

I encourage everyone to take the time to explore some of our attractions and interact with our warm people to experience South African exceptionalism first-hand.

Thank you.​ ​

Russia Looks to India to Fill Tourism Void

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

September 28th, 2022 at 7:30 AM EDT

Tourism to Russia has taken an enormous hit since the country's invasion of Ukraine. An economy hurt by sanctions doesn't help in its pitch to travelers either. But Russia sees opportunities with India's outbound travelers.

Peden Doma Bhutia

As Russia engages in the worst fighting in Europe since World War II with Ukraine, tourism is one of the worst hit sectors for the country, especially at a time when destinations are charting their way towards recovery post the Covid crisis.

Travel to and from Russia continues to be hit by sanctions , as a result the destination is aggressively wooing travelers from what it deems as more “friendly countries” and India seems to be high on the list.

At the recently-held Outbound Travel Mart (OTM) in Mumbai, one of the largest travel trade events in India, the Russian contingent descended in full force as it made a strong bid to sell the destination to Indian travelers.

Representatives from the city of Moscow City Tourism Committee and Saint Petersburg Convention Bureau addressed the media and spoke about the “abundant tourism opportunities” that the destinations offer for Indian travelers.

Strangely, Russia, a very important tourist destination, does not have a national tourism organization with their office in India, noted Mahendra Vakharia, managing director of India-based Pathfinders Holidays.

However Vakharia noted that St. Petersburg Tourism and Moscow City Tourism Committee have individually done more than their bit since the last few months and have been aggressively engaging with the travel trade through roadshows, presentations, seminars and workshops.

Russia also plans to launch electronic visa for 52 countries , including India — a resolution that had been passed in 2020, but had been stalled due to the Covid restrictions.

What’s more, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed a visa-free entry between Russia and India this month, during his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan.

The easing of visa regulations would certainly be an incentive, especially as the wait for visas keeps getting longer for Indian passport holders, with the waiting time for a U.S. visa appointment going up to two years.

Calling Russia a popular destination for all types of Indian travelers — leisure, groups, students as well as meetings, incentives, conferences and events, Pathfinders Holidays’ Vakharia noted that enquiries have been pouring in from Indian travelers. “The inclination is there to travel, but the uncertainty of war is holding them back.”

While St. Petersburg noted a drop of 72 percent in tourism during the pandemic, Kuzenskaya Julia, deputy chairperson of the city’s committee for tourism development, said they’ve noted that Indians are increasingly keen to visit the destination.

“We are working to unlock the full tourism potential of Russia to help increase footfalls from India. Our main focus is on group tourism as well as the meetings, incentives, conferences and events sector,” Julia said while speaking in Mumbai.

And even as Russia continues its offensive against Ukraine, Julia assured that tourists are under no threat in the country and that “everything is peaceful.”

Asian destinations would be a huge area of focus for the tourism boards as these markets provide huge potential to improve Russia’s tourism numbers.

In 2021, inbound travel from India to Moscow recovered by 40 percent compared to 2019, according to the Federal Agency for Tourism.

Outside nations in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Turkey, Germany and India are reportedly the top three key markets for inbound arrivals into Moscow, according to Alina Arutyunova, deputy chairperson of Moscow city tourism committee.

Encouraging individual tourists from India to visit Moscow, Arutyunova said this is the right time for Russia and India to strengthen their ties.

“In Moscow, things are normal, it is safe for tourists. In fact, travel to Russia is safe,” she said, adding that the city received 50,000 Indian tourists in 2021, while the tourism receipts from India for the first half of 2022 has been 13,300 tourists. 

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Destination KSA - Your Guide to Saudi

Moscow City Tourism Committee Organizes Roadshow in Saudi Arabia for the First Time

By Destination KSA

This event will highlight the capital of Russia for the Riyadh Tourism Industry .

Moscow City Tourism Committee will hold its on-ground roadshow in Saudi Arabia as part of an ongoing initiative to promote Moscow as a leading tourism and business destination.

The roadshow will take place in Riyadh on October 16, 2022, at the fashionable Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya, located on Tahlia Street near the King Abdullah Financial District. This will be Moscow’s first event in the Middle East this year. The following events will take place in Dubai and Abu Dhabi on 18 and 19 October.

The Moscow Tourism Committee will bring more than 10 local companies such as representatives of DMCs, hotels, and places of interest to Saudi Arabia. The Roadshow will have B2B interactions and presentations that will highlight the destination and open up new avenues in bringing the destination to new light to the travel and trade community.

According to Moscow City Tourism Committee, the Saudi Arabian tourism market is of great interest to Moscow. In September, representatives of the Kingdom’s tourism industry took part in an offsite roadshow in Moscow, where they were able to appreciate the different aspects of Moscow tourism such as cultural heritage, gastronomy, nature, adventure, and many more.

The Moscow City Tourism Committee is the official organization that promotes Moscow as a tourist destination. The organization realizes image projects and carries out different marketing events for developing the tourism potential of Moscow in Russia and abroad.

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