As a trusted travel management agency with a focus on business travel to and from Africa, Europe, Asia and beyond, the TravelManor team likes to stay informed of the trends and forecasts that shape our industry. A recent report by Enver Duminy on the Daily Southern & East African Tourism Update made a few excellent points pertaining to 2019 trends that will shape leisure travel, which also impacts on the way frequent business travelers make their way around the world. Here are a few key takeouts.
By now, African countries have realised that visitors don't want to battle to enter or depart their territories. Countries like South Africa that have battled with unwieldy processes have taken up the challenge to address these cumbersome systems. In time, this will extend to biometric entry-point measures, facial recognition technology, holistic mobility and other smart solutions that have come to be expected by digitally-savvy travelers.
Frictionless payment facilities is another trend that is only set to grow in Africa in 2019. Platforms like SnapScan are allowing travelers to facilitate cashless transactions via their mobile. This technology is already firmly entrenched in countries like South Africa and is likely to become more widespread in other developing territories as the infrastructure is established to support it.
Up until recently, the airlines and accommodation venues in major cities throughout the African continent mainly catered for LSM 8 - 10. Now, however, the middle classes from developed countries are tightening their belts and there is a burgeoning middle-class market emerging in Africa and Asia who are biting at the bit to travel for both business and pleasure. There is a demand for low-cost carrier flights and segmented accommodation that will suit the pockets of these reimagined demographics and it will be interesting to see which companies rise to the occasion first. After all, affordable doesn't have to mean lackluster - it simply requires some imagination.
These are a few of the trends that are likely to have an impact on business, as well as leisure travel to Africa in 2019. Keep an eye on the blog in coming weeks and months for more expert advice on planning corporate journeys that yield an exceptional return on investment. In the meantime, contact our team of dedicated corporate travel planners if you would like to learn more about our services.
