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African economies drive on tourism growth

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Travel and tourism remained one of the key growth drivers of Africa’s economy, contributing 8.5% of the GDP in 2018; equivalent to $194.2 billion. According to a recent report,  this growth record placed the continent as the second-fastest growing tourism region in the world, with a growth rate of 5.6% after Asia Pacific and against a 3.9% global average growth rate.

Africa received 67 million international tourist arrivals in 2018, to record a +7% increase from 63 million arrivals in 2017 and 58 million in 2016. This gradual increase is attributed to the affordability and ease of travel especially within the continent, with spending among domestic travelers accounting for 56% as compared to 44% international expenditure. Additionally, leisure travel remains an important component of Africa’s tourism industry, taking up a majority of 71% of the tourist expenditure in 2018.

The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA) is expected to further boost domestic travel. To realize the full potential gains will require cooperation from all industry players. Governments have to be willing to eliminate visa requirements for African nationals traveling to their countries. Ministries and other responsible partner organizations should create campaigns that will promote their local travel destinations and tourism offerings to attract more regional travelers.

While pay-at-hotel remained the most popular mode of payment among travelers. Card transactions gained popularity with +24% within the same period.

On the other hand, the use of mobile money and travel agencies decreased by -11% and -20% respectively. The mobile, as a source of traffic accounted for a record of 74% in 2019 from 57% in 2018, seen as a result of the increased mobile penetration on the continent. The mobile industry contributed $144 billion to Africa’s economy (8.6% of total GDP) in 2018, up from $110 billion (7.1% of total GDP) in 2017.

Highlights from the Aviation Industry

While Africa’s passenger traffic increased from 88.5 million in 2017 to 92 million in 2018 (+5.5%), it’s world share was only 2.1% (down from 2.2% in 2017). The report attributes this trend to high competition from other regions such as the Asia Pacific. Africa’s share is however predicted to grow by 4.9% annually over the next 20 years.

Improved visa facilitation in major tourism countries in Africa remains a major boost to both the tourism and aviation industries. For instance, Ethiopia’s visa relaxation policies combined with improved connectivity as a regional transport hub placed the country as Africa’s fastest-growing travel country, growing by 48.6% in 2018 to be worth $7.4 billion.

“Most African government leaders are now committed to making travel between African countries easier and more affordable. An example is the creation of the East Africa Visa program that allows travelers to apply for a visa online before visiting Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya. Such collaborations are visionary.

In terms of top airlines generating the most revenue in the African airspace, the report sites Emirates at the top of the list; earning over $837 million with popular flights from Johannesburg, Cairo, Cape Town, and Mauritius. Africa’s most profitable air route between April 2018 and March 2019 was from Johannesburg in South Africa to Dubai, generating $315.6 million in revenue; while state-owned Angola Airlines and South African Airways were the only two African airlines that made it to the top 10 Africa’s highest revenue air routes within the same period. Respectively, the two airlines generated $231.6 million flying from Luanda to Lisbon and $185 million flying between Cape Town and Johannesburg.

The African Tourism Board brings African destination together in continent-wide cooperation.

MEDIA CONTACT: TravelMarketingNetwork, 954 Lexington Ave. #1037, New York, NY 10021 USA, PH: (+1) 718-374-6816, [email protected]   

African Tourism Board and Africa Tourism Association join forces to support World to Africa’ Tourism Conference in Johannesburg

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New York-based African Tourism Association is getting ready for their World to Africa’ Tourism Conference. The event in Johannesburg is organized in partnership with South Africa Tourism. ATA’s conference is scheduled for July 22-26 at  Constitution Hill, one of South Africa’s most important historic sites.  Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy. The site is a former prison and military fort that bears testament to South Africa’s turbulent past and, today, is home to the country’s Constitutional Court, which endorses the rights of all citizens.

The conference will focus on innovative business models, best practices, creative industries, and strategic partnerships growing in the tourism sector. The Conference will bring together government leaders, international investors, industry stakeholders, and travel professionals from across the globe to discuss how tourism can be utilized as a platform for resiliency, an engine for economic growth, and job creation.

Conference features include capacity building sessions for SMEs and a pop-up marketplace showcasing African designers from across the continent.

ATA wants stakeholders to join them. ATA’s message is:

  • Meet key stakeholders from the travel and tourism industry
  • Market your brand and generate new business leads
  • Discover Innovative Models transforming African tourism
  • Experience different African destinations and grow your travel services and packages
  • Explore opportunities for investment along the tourism and hospitality value chain
  • Take part in discussions focused on Africa’s tourism market development
  • Engage with government leaders and initiate public-private community partnership discussions

South Africa and U.S. based African Tourism Board president  Alain St. Ange from Seychelles will be delivering a keynote speech. ATB CEO Doris Woerfel and Vice President Cuthbert Ncube will be in the audience.

African Tourism Board (ATB) Chairman Juergen Steinmetz said from Hawaii: “We’re humbled Naledi Khabo, The Africa Tourism Association (ATA) executive director invited the African Tourism Board to be part of this important event for Africa.
We are pleased to work with ATA as a partner and also encourage our members and supporters to join in and make Africa one Tourist Destination. My publication eTurboNews supported ATA for many years and we are pleased to be able and do this again.  #ThisIsAfrica is a very appropriate hashtag to use when tweeting.”

More information and to register. Go to  www.worldtoafrica.org

More information on African Tourism Board: www.africantourismboard.com
More information on the Africa Tourism Association: www.ataworldwide.org/

Lufthansa makes dedicated staff look bad: The eTN Hero is Patricia Dzai of Swissport Johannesburg

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Lufthansa

“My personal hero today is Ms. Patricia Dzai. Patricia works for Swissport in Johannesburg, South Africa,” said eTN Publisher Juergen Steinmetz. Swissport is one of the largest aviation ground-handling agencies operating in countries around the world.

Major airlines hire Swissport to manage customer relations and logistics when it comes to baggage handling, including lost or misplaced items.

Lufthansa German Airlines’ ground handler in Johannesburg is Swissport. I recently traveled from Nice to Cape Town via Frankfurt and Johannesburg on Lufthansa German Airlines. I am a United Airlines Star Alliance Gold member and traveled on Lufthansa in Business class. Lufthansa is a member of Star Alliance.

When I arrived in Johannesburg, I heard my name called by Lufthansa’s lost baggage office handled by Swissport.

I was told my tube was still in Frankfurt, and they would put it on the next flight to Johannesburg. I explained it was of utmost importance to have the tube for an important trade show event, the World Travel Market in Cape Town, in the morning.

Patricia Dzai, the Swissport agent in Johannesburg, wanted to make sure this would be possible and sent an urgent message to Lufthansa in Frankfurt. The message said:

 

 

 

 

 

I was pleased to know my tube would go on LH 576 directly to Cape Town almost in time for the start of World Travel Market.

I went on to fly to Cape Town and received a text message in the evening saying my tube would be on the Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg, which was different from what Patricia had requested. Since it was late and the Swissport office in Johannesburg was closed, I was able to find a non-published phone number for Lufthansa baggage service in Frankfurt. Lufthansa, like most airlines, is hiding phone numbers to encourage passengers to communicate only by email.

I was told by Lufthansa Baggage Service in Frankfurt no such message to forward my tube to Cape Town was ever received by Swissport Johannesburg. The agent went on to say that passengers are often not told the truth by Swissport agents.

The Lufthansa agent in Frankfurt explained that his job was not to help me, since this was only handled in Johannesburg. I argued my tube is in Frankfurt and not Johannesburg, and the handling agent for Swissport in Johannesburg was closed.

The agent then said he was now doing a one-time exception for me and would reroute my tube on LH576 directly to Cape Town. He said there were 5 hours to get this done, still plenty of time according to him.

The next day I received another message telling me again the tube was on its way to Johannesburg instead of Cape Town.

I called Swissport in Johannesburg, and the news not could have been worse. They told me, apologizing, that my tube was still in Frankfurt for a second day, and they did not know why.

I again called the baggage-handling office in Frankfurt and was again told it’s all Swissport’s mistake for not telling them where to send it.

This time I was angry and called Swissport Johannesburg again. I asked Patricia why she was lying about this. I told her she never sent this request to Frankfurt, according to Lufthansa.

Ten minutes later, I received an email with a time-stamped screenshot from Patricia Dzai showing me exactly what was requested by her in the first place.

Patricia actually had gone out of her way originally to make sure I would be united with my tube on time and in Cape Town. I felt bad thinking she didn’t care and didn’t do anything, when in fact she did.

It shows that big companies like Lufthansa have a serious customer service issue. They hide behind a huge system and are trained to say it’s not their job and simply blame others for company shortcomings.

There was no way I could talk to anyone at Lufthansa about this, and my urgent email to them on the day I was trying to get the tube re-routed was just responded to 2 weeks after I was already back home in Hawaii. Lufthansa offered a 200 euro compensation.

No explanation was given and no apology for accusing Patricia Dzai and Swissport for not doing their job.

I finally received my tube on the last day after the trade show and took it back to the US unopened. When I changed planes in Frankfurt, I asked the agent working in the Senator Lounge to speak to a supervisor in baggage handling about this case and compensation. She told me I have to send an email, which I had already done days ago.

She gave me some chocolate and said they get customers’ complaints all the time and do their best to help and respond, but the back-up system by the airline is not there.

It’s all about a giant non-caring anonymous machine.

I extend my apologies to Patricia Dzai from Swissport, as I now understand she was also a victim of shortcomings created by Lufthansa German Airlines.

Patricia Dzai is the eTN Hero for today.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Benchmark appoints new Regional Director of Revenue Management

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Benchmark has appointed Michael Botha regional director of revenue management. Eric Gavin, Benchmark’s chief sales officer, made the announcement.

“I am very pleased to welcome Michael to Benchmark,” said Mr. Gavin. “He comes to us with an impressive revenue management pedigree, and vast experience with maximizing revenues of independent hotels and resorts. Michael is a terrific addition to our revenue leadership team.”

Michael Botha previously held the position of regional director of revenue management for Pyramid Hotel Group of Boston, Massachusetts. He has served as area director of revenue management for Nobel House Hotels & Resorts, and earlier in the same role for Dolce Hotels and Resorts.

Mr. Botha is a graduate of the University of Johannesburg Hotel School where he earned his National Diploma in Hospitality Management. He is the recipient of numerous professional honors including the Kyalami Castle Award for Best Experiential Learner; Southern Sun Award for Best Overall Experiential Learner; and Distinctions in Hospitality Management, Law, Financial Management, Operations, Food & Beverage. He resides in Cumberland, Rhode Island, where he will be operating out of a regional office.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Etihad: Dream routes to South Africa, Nigeria, Italy

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Etihad Airways is introducing dream routes in the form of the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on its scheduled services this summer from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg, effective August 1; Lagos, effective August 2; and Milan, effective  September 1, replacing the Airbus A330s currently operating the routes.

All three destinations will feature Etihad Airways’ next-generation Business and Economy cabins, configured with 299 seats — 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats. Etihad Airways extensive global network to and from Abu Dhabi will see more 787 Dreamliners introduced on key destinations as the airline takes delivery of more of the type.

Boeing 787 schedule to Johannesburg, effective August 1, 2019 will leave Abu Dhabi at 10:05 and reach Johannesburg by 16:30 daily and return from Johannesburg at 20:05 to Abu Dhabi at 06:00 daily (Next day arrival). For Lagos, effective August 2, 2019 from Abu Dhabi at 02:35 to Lagos and 07:10 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Return from Lagos at 08:30 to Abu Dhabi at 19:10 on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. To Milan, effective September 1, 2019 from Abu Dhabi at 02:20 to Milan at 06:50 daily and return from Milan at 10:40 to  Abu Dhabi at 18:55 daily.

Travel News | eTurboNews