From 11th to 13th June this year, aviation and tourism leaders from across the continent and beyond will gather in Zanzibar for another edition of AviaDev Africa, the premier forum focused on air connectivity and route development in Africa. It’s a meeting of minds – airlines, airports, policymakers, investors and consultants – all working to find practical solutions to one of Africa’s most stubborn challenges: its fragmented skies.
For many, aviation may seem a technical or transport issue. But in reality, it is an economic lifeline, and nowhere is this more evident than in its link to tourism. When air access is limited, expensive or unreliable, tourism – one of Africa’s most promising growth sectors – suffers immensely.
Yet, surprisingly, many tourism leaders still treat aviation as someone else’s problem. Ministries of tourism and heads of national tourism boards often leave aviation discussions to transport ministries or aviation authorities. That needs to change. Because if you’re serious about growing tourism, you must be serious about fixing aviation.
Why AviaDev Matters
Africa is the second-largest continent in landmass, yet travelling across it is often harder than flying to Europe or the Middle East. The average African route is underserved, overpriced and overly complicated. For example, flying from Accra to Seychelles or Dakar to Lusaka can require long stopovers in non-African hubs or expensive tickets on limited carriers.
Despite the launch in 2018 of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) – a flagship project of the African Union meant to liberalise air travel on the continent – progress has been slow. Records show that not all the 55 AU member states have signed on, and even fewer have implemented its provisions in full. Political protectionism, inconsistent regulation and nationalistic interests continue to hold the sector back.
At AviaDev, these and other key issues will be tackled directly. The event goes beyond talk – it focuses on solutions. Some of the core discussions this year will centre on:
• How tourism boards can partner with airlines to drive route development
• Creating and sustaining public-private partnerships in aviation
• Funding and financing models for African carriers and infrastructure
• Regional success stories in aviation–tourism collaboration
It’s clear: Africa doesn’t lack ideas, it lacks implementation and coordination. That’s why a platform like AviaDev is so important. It provides the opportunity for stakeholders across sectors – not just within aviation – to collaborate and create joined-up strategies for growth.
Why Tourism Needs to Be in the Room
Aviation enables tourism. It’s as simple as that. You can spend millions on marketing your country as the next great destination, but if travellers can’t reach it easily, that effort goes to waste.
That’s why tourism ministries and destination marketing organisations must be at forums like AviaDev. They must be part of the negotiations that shape route development, pricing structures, bilateral agreements and aviation policy. After all, increased tourism leads to increased demand for flights – and vice versa. These two sectors must work hand in hand.
In many countries that have successfully leveraged tourism for growth – think Rwanda, Ethiopia, Kenya, or even the island states like Cape Verde and Seychelles – the link between aviation and tourism is deliberate and strategic. National carriers align with national tourism goals. Routes are opened not just for trade or politics but for tourism access and revenue.
This model needs to be replicated across more of Africa. It requires long-term planning, stakeholder engagement and political will.
Ghana’s Missed Opportunity?
Closer to home, Ghana has recently inaugurated yet another task force to work on reviving the national airline. The idea of GhanaAirlines, or any successor to the defunct Ghana International Airlines, has floated around for years. Committees have been formed, feasibility studies commissioned, and investor interest explored – all with little to show for it.
What’s worrying is that Ghana appears to have no official representation at AviaDev this year. This is a missed opportunity, especially at a time when the country is once again attempting to craft a national aviation strategy. Being at AviaDev would provide access to case studies, expert insight and potential partnerships that could shape a more realistic and sustainable roadmap for Ghana’s aviation revival.
Task forces don’t build airlines – actionable plans do. And those plans need to be informed by what is working elsewhere on the continent and what pitfalls to avoid.
Looking Ahead: Collaboration is the Way Forward
I will be at AviaDev this year to moderate a high-level panel on partnerships and collaboration. This theme goes to the heart of what is needed to move African aviation forward. No one country, airline or tourism board can go it alone. We need integrated strategies across borders and sectors.
This panel will feature voices from government, private airlines, investment firms and tourism authorities. It will explore how shared goals, joint ventures and creative thinking can overcome the legacy of disconnection that has plagued African skies.
We often talk about the need for Africa to rise. Aviation and tourism, working together, can lift this continent – literally and economically.
Final Thoughts
As noted by Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar and Chairman of the Revolutionary Council, “Zanzibar has bold development and investment ambitions, through AviaDev 2025, we can enhance flight connectivity, unlock new opportunities for growth and foster collaboration globally. The Government of Zanzibar through Zanzibar Commission for Tourism and Zanzibar Airports Authority is looking forward to hosting this forum for delegates from different regions to come together and share experiences.”
Africa’s future cannot take flight without fixing aviation. And tourism cannot thrive without affordable, accessible air travel. These sectors are not parallel – they are interdependent.
As AviaDev approaches, I urge tourism stakeholders to pay attention. Better still, get involved. Join the conversations. Build the partnerships. Push for policies that make sense for both sectors.
Because when aviation flies, tourism soars. And when tourism grows, entire economies rise with it.
Article by Francis Doku/strong>
This article was first published in Ghana’s Daily Graphic Newspaper
