Africans are yet to understand the full extent of their potential as a united force and embracing the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agenda could just be what the continent needed to make this realisation. That’s according to Susan Akporiaye, President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies.
“I know this continent has so much wealth, so, so much that we don’t have an idea or have a clue of how powerful we are in Africa and if we can just … I don’t know how to call it, maybe bring our pride down … we are too scared of each other. We are so, so scared of each other,” she says. The African tourism industry is looking to the adoption of this programme to improve tourism on the continent and it has dominated discussions at the 6Among the suggestions put on the table is for Africa to create its own travel culture, which should possibly include getting rid of passports. That’s according to Kenya Tourism Federation CEO Susan Ongalo.
Lack of access to funding and lack of collateral to secure loans underscore the need for a continental financial institution of young people are to succeed in the tourism industry. Phineas Kapinga, a tour operator, says these challenges hold them back.