Browsing: Tourism

• Saudi Arabia’s Neom futuristic city estimated to costs in excess of $8.8 trillion.
• Neom features a floating industrial complex, global trade hub, tourist resorts.
• The city, which is powered by 100% renewable energy, is plagued by delays and cost overruns.

Neom, an ambitious fusion of architecture and ecology, is a futuristic city under construction in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province. Touted as an unprecedented mega-investment, it serves as a case study for policymakers in Africa, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges of large-scale urban development.

According to a recent statement from Neom’s management, the project is set for completion by 2039. The name “Neom” blends the Ancient Greek prefix neo- (meaning “new”) with Mostaqbal, the Arabic word for “future.”

With an estimated cost exceeding $8.8 trillion—over 25 times Saudi Arabia’s annual budget—the new city is among the world’s most ambitious urban projects. Launched in 2017, it spans 26,500 km² and features …

• Across the African continent, the tourism industry fuels the creation of jobs, providing decent work opportunities for millions of people.
• The industry also drives the development of critical infrastructural, fosters entrepreneurship, and enhances cultural exchange.
• Kenya is at the forefront of steering innovation in tourism, fostering homegrown solutions that will help shape the future of this vital industry in Africa.

Tourism in Africa is often associated with breathtaking safaris, luxury safari lodges, and pristine coastal beaches. However, its impact stretches far beyond leisure and hospitality offering targeting overseas tourists, serving as a powerful engine for economic growth and social transformation.

Across the continent, tourism fuels the creation of decent jobs, especially for the youth; drives the development of critical infrastructure such as roads and technology investments, fosters entrepreneurship across value chains, and enhances cultural exchange among communities globally.

Countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, and Rwanda provide compelling case …

• Tanzania tourism surpasses 5 million visitor numbers target.
• Data shows the number of Chinese tourists to the East African nation is increasing annually.
• Film featuring top Chinese actor has big impact in Tanzania tourism.

Tourism in Tanzania is growing faster than anticipated with the country having hosted 5.36 million tourists in 2024, a figure higher than the targeted five million tourists by 2025. Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Pindi Chana told a stakeholder’s meeting earlier in the week that the 5 million plus tourists racked in 4 billion U.S. dollars in revenue last year.

Notably, of the said tourists, 3.22 million were domestic while 2.14 million were drawn from international source markets, showing a significant increase in domestic tourism. “These efforts have effectively showcased Tanzania’s breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage, positioning the nation as a desirable travel destination,” said Chana in a statement highlighting the significance of …

• A new luxury hotel brand has been unveiled in Bawe Island. 
• President Mwinyi warns possible revocation of licenses for delayed projects.
• Zanzibar has leased out 15 islets for luxury hotel projects, more than 30 others available. 

Zanzibar Bawe Island Resort has been inaugurated, making it the first of more than 15 small islets that have been leased for investment in the tourism and hospitality sector. This first small island, known as Bawe, has been developed into a $42 million luxurious tourist destination, an investment by Cocoon Collection Company.

Zanzibar Bawe Island Resort was launched as part of celebrations to commemorate the Zanzibar Revolution Day and was attended by several dignitaries including the President Samia Suluhu Hassan. President Samia was the guest of honour and expressed her satisfaction with the inaugurated five-star international tourist hotel.

She commended the investors Cocoon Collection Company, and hailed the overall progress of development in Zanzibar’s …

• Expert tips tourism and hospitality sector investors to ‘go digital’ in an increasingly competitive industry.
• Survey shows hotels are getting better rates by partnering with experienced complementary service providers.
• What’s more, allowing customers to tailor their own holiday packages rakes in more revenue.

The tourism and hospitality industry in Africa has evolved over the past decade to match with changes in the business. Increasingly, hotels are now looking to reclaim their relationship with guests, and new ways of accommodation such as home sharing are becoming more and more popular.

“Another trend on the horizon is direct booking instead of using of agents,” reveals a report titled ‘New trends in the tourism and hospitality industry 2025.’ In the report, Senior McKinsey Researcher, Caroline Tufft points out that; “hotels are looking to get closer to their customers as well as to cut down on intermediary booking fees and so hotels are encouraging …

• Kenya’s economic resurgence in 2024 proving a reality following a notable upturn in recent months, marked by positive indicators across sectors.
• According to CBK, leading indicators point to the continued strong performance of the Kenyan economy in the first quarter of 2024.
• According to the World Bank, Kenya’s economic growth is projected to be 5.2 per cent, boosted by increased investment in the private sector as the government reduces its activities in the domestic credit market.

A strong rebound

Kenya’s economic prospects are looking brighter, attributed to the interventions by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which have played a massive role in easing volatility witnessed less than three months ago.

Major economic indicators in the country show that confidence is slowly creeping back after the government secured the International Monetary Fund’s facility to pay back the Eurobond.

The repayments had triggered volatility in financial markets, including the …

• Following a slow recovery from the debilitating impact of COVID-19, Africa’s economic growth declined to an estimated 3.8 per cent in 2022 and later deteriorated to 3. (https://rescueresponse.com) 3 per cent in 2023.
• Africa is not immune to economic shocks and has recently faced a multi-crisis situation.
• African countries have posted more than 5 per cent output expansions in 2024.

Africas economic outlook

Before COVID-19, Africa experienced 20 years of solid growth and made tangible economic and social progress. However, the COVID crisis brought this progress to an abrupt halt, and many countries, which are under increasingly tight budget constraints, struggled to invest in essential sectors amidst recovering from the aftermath of the health crisis.

Following a slow recovery from the debilitating impact of COVID-19, Africa’s economic growth declined to an estimated 3.8 per cent in 2022 and later deteriorated to 3.3 per cent in 2023.

However, according …

• Tourism in Kenya is the third-biggest foreign exchange earner after remittances and agricultural exports.
• The tourism sector’s performance has been impressive, with earnings reaching $ 2.7 billion in 2023, a 32 per cent growth from $1.8 billion recorded in 2022.
• In 2024, the sector is projected to recover to pre-pandemic levels per the strategy for tourism in Kenya 2021-2025.

Tourism in Kenya

Tourism is Kenya’s third-highest foreign exchange earner after remittances and agricultural exports.

According to the Tourism Research Institute, the industry accounts for about 10 per cent of Kenya’s gross domestic product and about 5 per cent of its formal employment.

Kenya has been a significant tourist destination in East Africa, attracting visitors worldwide to its wildlife parks, sandy beaches at the coast, diverse flora and fauna, cultural heritage, and scenic landscapes, to name a few.

However, the outbreak of COVID-19 sent shockwaves to the tourism sector, bringing it …

• In 2023, Kenya’s economy experienced real GDP growth, surging from 4.8% in 2022 to an estimated 5 per cent.
• Kenya’s agriculture, which had grappled with severe drought, recovered with critical crops, such as tea and coffee, displaying remarkable resilience.
• High cost of living, exchange rate pressures, and global economic uncertainties remain persistent risks to growth this year.

In 2023, Kenya’s economy strengthened, defying persistent challenges as highlighted in the World Bank’s 28th edition of the Kenya Economic Update (KEU). Despite facing continued hurdles, East Africa’s biggest economy experienced an acceleration in real GDP growth, surging from 4.8 per cent in 2022 to an estimated 5 per cent in 2023.

This economic performance is a testament to Kenya’s ability to navigate adversities and build a foundation for sustainable economic growth.

Agriculture helped revive Kenya’s economy in 2023

A key factor contributing to Kenya’s revival of economic performance in 2023 was the …