Day One at Essence of Africa delivered more than conversation; it delivered market intelligence with immediate commercial implications. With 150 pre-qualified international buyers and 150 African exhibitors convening in Malindi, the forum distilled clear signals from source markets, produced evidence-based recommendations for suppliers, and set a practical agenda for converting interest into bookings for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Explorer Riaan Manser opened the day with a keynote that framed the forum’s intent. Drawing on a 36,500-kilometer solo crossing of Africa, he warned that intention without action is hollow, saying, “There’s an ocean between saying and doing.” He pressed the room of lodge operators, DMCs and tour designers to “think bigger, act braver, and build genuine connections,” and made the point that relationships, not transactions, will underpin durable growth.
The programme moved quickly from diagnosis to prescription. In the Americas Market Buzz, moderated by Paula Newton, panelists laid out concrete trends and what suppliers must change to capture opportunity. Antoinette McKenzie flagged a dramatic shift in Canada, noting, “Clients are now booking 24 months ahead, a complete shift from the traditional six-month window,” and urged suppliers to trial rate protection schemes or early-booking discounts. She also reported a surprising demand for digital-free stays, observing, “We’re seeing requests for Wi-Fi-free camps. Guests want to escape, and sometimes that one person on a Skype call at teatime ruins it for everyone.”
Erick Mwirigi underlined a surge in multi-generational travel from the U.S., and sounded a commercial alarm about lost revenue where properties cannot quote long-range rates. Andrea Landaeta traced Latin America’s rapid reappraisal of Africa, saying, “Brazilians are now exploring Botswana, Mozambique, even Uganda beyond gorilla trekking,” and framing a premium segment she described as “luxury for purpose.” Ariadna Garduno Martinez added that Mexican travellers are sophisticated and conservation-minded, “They want to know exactly how their visit supports local communities and wildlife protection.”
A second session, led by Leanne Haigh, revealed different but complementary openings in India, China and Australia. Heena Munshaw described a post-pandemic Indian market that takes multiple holidays per year and prioritises experience, stating, “People don’t want to buy a beach house, they want to splurge on experiences.” She reported that 70 percent of Indian travellers now prioritise sustainability, and warned suppliers to get cuisine and dietary detail right, because, “We are several countries within one country in terms of cuisines.”
Lin Yu delivered a blunt instruction for those targeting China, saying, “If you’re not on WeChat, you’re not talking to China.” Her point went beyond social presence, into distribution and content format, noting that common file-sharing tools are often unusable for Chinese buyers. From Australia, Leanne Wild stressed long-stay behaviour, observing, “We’re so far away, we have to make it count,” and she urged suppliers to convert the myth of a single visit into repeat business, “Everyone thinks they’re only coming once, your job is to prove them wrong and build repeat business.”
Panels also identified binding constraints, with clear consequences for product and policy. Visa bottlenecks, especially for Indian travellers caught in overburdened European appointment systems, divert demand to e-visa destinations. Limited direct air connections route passengers through hubs that reduce on-continent spend. Rising park fees in Kenya are already nudging some bookings to Tanzania. Safety perceptions remain a reputational risk that requires fast, credible responses from national boards and operators.
Taken together, the sessions offered a short list of tactical responses suppliers can adopt now, including: pilot rate-protection or early-booking offers for long-lead markets, adopt flexible inventory to meet shorter lead times where they exist, develop digital-detox product options, localise content and distribution for China via WeChat, promote e-visa advantages aggressively for India and other markets, and embed cuisine-aware service protocols to win and retain bookings.
Essence of Africa’s mechanics are intentionally conversion-focused. The forum pairs pre-booked business appointments, hosted buyer support, and immersive fam trips that range from high-end lodges to community conservancies. That structure is not incidental, it is tactical: it reduces friction in product evaluation, accelerates contracting, and shortens the interval between interest and sale. With more than 38 scheduled sessions and a sold-out exhibition floor, the forum is designed to move opportunities into confirmed inventory for upcoming seasons.
The combined testimony across sessions produced a straightforward brief. Suppliers must diversify product offerings, from intimate, culturally authentic stays to family-friendly and multi-generational packages. Distribution strategies must be market-specific, with WeChat-led outreach for China, visually rich social storytelling for U.S. and Latinx markets, and flexible booking windows for younger, digital-native travellers who decide within three to five months. Policy makers and industry bodies must address visa friction, support improved connectivity, and manage fee strategies that balance revenue and competitiveness.
Essence of Africa continues through 9 October at Diamonds Malindi, and the forum’s remaining sessions will test how rapidly the sector can turn intelligence into contracts, and commitments into measurable benefit for communities and destinations across the region.
