ATTA - African Travel & Tourism Association

ATTA - African Travel & Tourism Association The African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) is a member driven trade association that promotes a better tourism for Africa from all corners of the world.
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ATTA® (The African Travel and Tourism Association) is the leading pan-African trade association promoting tourism to Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. Known as the "Voice of African Tourism," ATTA® serves over 720 member businesses, including accommodation providers, tour operators, and travel specialists. It provides accurate industry news, hosts networking events and trade shows, and delivers valuable member training and resources.

The conversation continues in Luanda. ATTA® Group CEO Virginia Messina is representing ATTA at the Global Tourism Forum ...
18/06/2026

The conversation continues in Luanda. ATTA® Group CEO Virginia Messina is representing ATTA at the Global Tourism Forum Angola Investment Summit, joining leaders from across government, business and tourism to discuss the future of Africa’s tourism sector.

With senior representatives from the public and private sectors in attendance, the summit is highlighting tourism’s role as a catalyst for transformation - driving connectivity, investment and sustainable economic growth across the continent.

The conversations are focusing on how collaboration and strategic investment can unlock new opportunities and strengthen Africa’s position as a leading global tourism destination.

Virginia is taking part in these important discussions alongside leaders including João Lourenço, President of Angola; Daniel Chapo, President of Mozambique; ministers from across Africa; UN Tourism leadership; WTTC leadership; and Global Tourism Forum President Bulut Bagci.

Africa’s tourism future will be shaped through collaboration and ATTA is proud to represent our industry at the table. 👏

Last week, ATTA CEO Kgomotso Ramothea attended ABTA’s Travel Matters conference in London. Here are the key insights sha...
18/06/2026

Last week, ATTA CEO Kgomotso Ramothea attended ABTA’s Travel Matters conference in London. Here are the key insights shaping demand, distribution and opportunity for African tourism:

🌍 1. UK consumers are pausing, not cancelling. Consumer confidence is at its lowest since 2008, with travel spending down 6% year-on-year. But travel remains the most protected discretionary spend. The behaviour shift is timing - travellers are booking later, not stepping away. When confidence returns, the rebound is expected to be fast.

🌍 2. Eastbound disruption is Africa’s opportunity. Geopolitical disruption across eastbound destinations is reshaping UK demand flows. While some volume is moving to the Western Med, Africa has a clear opportunity to engage UK partners with availability, flexibility and compelling value.

🌍 3. Long-haul luxury is outperforming. Premium long-haul travel continues to hold strong. High-net-worth travellers are largely insulated from economic pressure, and Africa’s core product remains highly competitive versus the Mediterranean in experience and differentiation.

🌍 4. AI is already changing how travel is discovered. AI usage in UK travel planning has doubled in a year — with nearly 40% of travellers now using AI to search, plan or book. From price tracking to emerging AI booking tools, how travellers discover African products is changing rapidly.

🌍 5. A UK policy window is opening Stephanie Peacock confirmed the UK government’s Visitor Economy Growth Strategy will be published later this year - signalling a key moment for inbound tourism policy.

📌 The takeaway: demand is shifting, distribution is evolving, and Africa has a clear window to position itself as a high-value, experience-led destination in the UK market.

See our full write up of the event here: https://atta.travel/resource/five-things-african-travel-businesses-need-to-know-from-the-uk-s-abta-travel-matters-conference.html

What’s been shaping African tourism this week? Here's ATTA®'s key developments and industry updates from across the cont...
15/06/2026

What’s been shaping African tourism this week? Here's ATTA®'s key developments and industry updates from across the continent.

Africa is more than a stereotype, yet it’s often shown in just one way.When we sell only one version: opportunities shri...
13/06/2026

Africa is more than a stereotype, yet it’s often shown in just one way.

When we sell only one version: opportunities shrink, expectations narrow and travellers miss out.

At ATTA, we know that showing Africa in all its depth, richness and diversity can inspire travellers, create opportunity and tell the real story.

12/06/2026

Africa isn't just home to extraordinary wildlife, our flora is just as remarkable. 🌿 🤩 In this brilliant piece from Onguma Safari Camps, the guides take us through some of Namibia’s medicinal and aromatic plants - from the Bitter Bush to the Trumpet Thorn and the Makalani Palm Tree - sharing the stories, uses and traditions behind each one.

As marketers, we know the ‘Big Five’ capture attention. Lions, leopards and elephants certainly sell the dream. But we also have the power to spark curiosity around the continent’s extraordinary plant life, ancient knowledge systems and lesser-told stories.

By sharing more of these stories, we don't just diversify the African travel narrative we open the door to new audiences, deeper experiences and greater appreciation for the richness of our continent. More reasons to fall in love with Africa.

ATTA® is working closely with in-destination partners, health experts and tourism stakeholders to provide timely, practi...
11/06/2026

ATTA® is working closely with in-destination partners, health experts and tourism stakeholders to provide timely, practical guidance in response to the Ebola situation and wider periods of uncertainty.

ATTA® will host a dedicated industry briefing, led by Group CEO Virginia Messina:

Maintaining Traveller Confidence in African Destinations: Practical Advice to Navigate the Ebola Response

📅 17 June | 12:00–13:00 (UK time)
🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/e_Qb2gcs

Bringing together expertise from across tourism, health, risk advisory and legal sectors, the briefing will focus on practical approaches to managing risk, maintaining traveller confidence, and strengthening business continuity.

🎤 Richard Dawood, Medical Director and Travel Medicine Specialist, Street Clinic
🎤 Virginia Messina, Group CEO, ATTA®
🎤 Claire Mulligan, Partner, DWF Group
🎤 Alan Pattison, Insurance Advisor, Travel Risk Professionals

Key areas of focus:
• Travel risk assessment and response
• Maintaining traveller confidence during health-related disruptions
• Client communication and stakeholder engagement
• Legal, insurance and duty of care considerations
• Business continuity and resilience planning

ATTA® encourages members and the wider industry to remain engaged with trusted information sources and continue taking informed, proportionate steps as the situation develops.

🍃 The ATTA® for Action Awards 2026 finalists have been announced! 🍃 We are honoured by the incredible response from orga...
11/06/2026

🍃 The ATTA® for Action Awards 2026 finalists have been announced! 🍃

We are honoured by the incredible response from organisations across Africa and beyond who put themselves forward for this year’s awards. Every submission was a powerful reminder of the power of tourism to create meaningful change, when purpose is matched with action.

A huge thank you to every entrant, and to our panel of judges for the time, expertise and thoughtful consideration they brought to the process.

Selecting this year’s finalists was no easy task. These organisations and individuals stood out for their commitment, measurable impact and the positive change they are driving across African tourism.

Congratulations to all our finalists!

🍃 Swipe through to discover the full list of finalists by award category...🏆

Winners will be announced at Experience Africa , London on 22 June 2026.
Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ekHuwXJX

When are people travelling? Safari demand is evolving - and the data shows it. While mid-year travel remains strong, re...
10/06/2026

When are people travelling? Safari demand is evolving - and the data shows it. While mid-year travel remains strong, recent enquiry patterns reveal a notable shift towards the shoulder months - April, May, September, and October, which together accounted for 38% of all safari enquiries, making this the most popular travel window in the available data. Shoulder travel is now growing faster than the traditional summer high season, which saw a slight softening in enquiries.

This trend suggests travellers are becoming more informed and intentional about when they travel, prioritising excellent wildlife viewing, clearer skies and fewer crowds outside the peak months.

For the industry, this reinforces the importance of planning well in advance, as demand spreads more evenly across the year and travellers seek quality experiences throughout both peak and shoulder periods.

Source: Go2Africa State of Safari Report 2025

Solo safari travel is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in luxury African tourism, according to new data f...
10/06/2026

Solo safari travel is emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in luxury African tourism, according to new data from Cape Town-based operator Go2Africa. 👤✈️🌍

Solo travellers have increased from 13.07% in 2024 to 15.42% in 2025, making them the only traveller segment to record year-on-year growth. 📈✈️🧍‍♀️

This reflects a wider global shift in how people are choosing to travel independently. Searches for “solo travel” are up 230% over the past decade, reaching 1.6 million in January 2026 alone.

Key source markets are leading this trend:
🇺🇸 United States: over 50% of solo safari enquiries (+26.26% YoY)
🇦🇺 Australia: +119.80%
🇬🇧 United Kingdom: +101.72%

Destination interest remains strongest in established safari markets such as Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa. At the same time, growing demand is also being seen in emerging destinations including Madagascar, Malawi and Zambia.

Behavioural data shows this is a highly intentional, high-value audience, with 81.18% of solo travellers arriving with a clear destination in mind and spending on average 42.8% more per person than couples. 🗺️🚶🧭

The global solo travel market was valued at $95 billion in 2024 and is expected to exceed $190 billion by 2030, reflecting a broader shift toward more independent, experience-led travel.

For Africa’s safari sector, this represents a clear and growing opportunity within a high-value traveller segment.

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Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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+44 20 7937 4408

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