Europe is not one tourism market, and for African suppliers, understanding the differences between source markets can be just as important as reaching them. Africa Showcase is creating that access by connecting African suppliers, DMCs, DMOs and travel specialists with buyers across three distinct European regions: Central and Eastern Europe, Southern Europe and the Nordics.
The opportunity varies from market to market, but the underlying demand is clear: European travellers are looking for Africa, while buyers are seeking fresh products and experiences to meet changing consumer interests.
CEE: Three markets with room to grow
Paddington Tucker of Travel Advance, Africa Showcase’s CEE and Mitteleuropa market partner, identifies Poland, Czechia and Romania as markets with considerable potential. “Recent disruption of travel to Asia and the Middle East has made Africa more topical as a holiday destination,” Tucker says.
Poland’s economy has reached the US$1 trillion mark, with the country set to become a G20 member. African destinations are already seeing growth from Poland, whose travellers are typically active and keen to experience as much as possible during their holidays.
Czechia offers a different opportunity. Its travellers are known for adventure and off-the-beaten-track travel, opening possibilities for lesser-known African destinations. Czechs also rank among Europe’s higher spenders on foreign travel relative to disposable income.
Romania is emerging as another market to watch. Economic growth and the recent lifting of visa restrictions to South Africa have created an opportunity to build stronger trade relationships and connect Romanian travellers with Southern Africa.
Southern Europe: Established demand, evolving tastes
Italy and Spain already have a strong appetite for Africa, but Lidia Martinuzzi, Africa Showcase’s Southern Europe market partner, says the product demand is broadening. “The greatest opportunity for African suppliers lies in delivering authentic, personalised experiences rather than simply luxury accommodation,” Martinuzzi says.
Safari remains important, while travellers increasingly seek culture, conservation, culinary and wine experiences, wellness, marine activities and personalised itineraries. FITs, honeymooners and small groups dominate.
South Africa and Namibia continue to perform strongly, while Botswana remains highly aspirational for luxury travellers. Kenya and Tanzania benefit from popular safari-and-beach combinations with Zanzibar, the Kenyan coast and Seychelles.
Connectivity is also expanding, with Air Europa operating three weekly non-stop flights between Madrid and Johannesburg, creating another direct gateway to Southern Africa.
Elke Menz of Elke Menz Tourism Consulting says France remains one of Europe’s leading long-haul leisure markets for Africa, but success depends on maintaining strong trade relationships. “The Southern Europe–Africa Showcase in Paris gives African destinations direct access to around 40 carefully selected travel agents and specialist tour operators who may not attend major African trade shows such as Indaba, ITB or IFTM Top Resa. Africa remains underrepresented at IFTM, with limited national tourism board presence and most African stands occupied by individual DMCs. The Showcase therefore helps raise visibility, build commercial relationships and provide real-time market intelligence to refine products, pricing and sales strategies for the French market.”
Nordics: Selling Africa through experience
In the Nordics, Gérald Amoudruz of World of Destinations says the market is defined more by quality than size. “The Nordic outbound market has always stood out for its quality rather than its size,” he says. Travellers from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland increasingly seek authentic cultures, local engagement and responsible tourism.
They also tend to stay longer, travel throughout the year and spend strongly on high-quality experiences. For African businesses, that makes sustainability, community involvement and genuine experiences increasingly important components of the offer.
This is where Africa Showcase’s proposition becomes particularly relevant. The platform does more than place African businesses before European buyers; it creates opportunities to understand what each market wants, how buyers sell it and where new products can fit.
Across CEE, Southern Europe and the Nordics, Africa Showcase is opening more doors for African tourism businesses to build relationships, expand their distribution networks and convert Europe’s growing appetite for Africa into new commercial opportunities.
This article was first published in the August 2026 edition of VoyagesAfriq Travel Magazine
