Jumia Travel Launches Hospitality Report for Africa

The Africa region is expected to attract 64 million international tourist arrivals, this year, and 110 million by 2027, a report of a research into various trends in the hospitality and tourism industries in Africa has revealed.

The Report, dubbed: 'Hospitality Report Africa 2017' which was compiled by Jumia Travel, a leading online travel agency in Africa, in collaboration with Accor Hotels, noted that in 2016, the African Union launched a common visa policy including visa-on-arrival for all African citizens - an agenda which includes the goal of having a single African continental passport by the year 2020.

According to the Report, the adoption of visa liberalization policies could increase Africa's tourism from 5 to 25%.

Speaking at the launch of the Report in Accra, yesterday, the country Manager of Jumia Travel Ghana, Omolara Adagunodo, noted that policy makers and other stakeholders had a responsibility to adequately prepare for the challenges that would come with the increased numbers.

Ms Adagunodo said the hospitality industry in Ghana should be fully positioned to grow and attract tourists.

In a statement, Mr Yaw Mamphey, Sales and Marketing Manager, Accra City Hotel, underscored the importance of research in development, adding, however, that research results were of no value in themselves if they were not implemented.

In his remarks, Mr Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, popularly known as "Abeiku Santana," a hotel owner & tourism / hospitality expert, expressed concern about the lack of ability to develop and market attractive tourism packages to enhance the performance of the hospitality and tourism industry in Ghana and make it competitive.

Mr Aggrey said for the industry to make strides, which would translate into more business and more revenue to grow the Ghanaian economy, tourism education should be taken seriously.

He stressed the need to develop tourism destination management and tourism destination marketing, adding that hotels should collaborate with local tour operators to develop tourism packages.

Presenting an overview of the Report, Mr Bennet Otoo, Public Relations and Marketing Manager, Jumia Travel, underscored the importance of tourism on Ghana's Gross Domestic Product.

Mr Otoo said available evidence pointed to stronger growth in passenger numbers as a result of increased international flights into Africa.

He, therefore, urged investors to take advantage of the emerging favourable environment for tourism development which would lead to increased revenue for national development.

Source: ISD (G.D. Zaney)

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