Essence of Africa, the premier international buyers forum for African tourism, is launching with strategic emphasis on familiarisation FAM trips to drive sustainable growth and increase Africas share of the global tourism market.
The inaugural event at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, from December 2-4 will provide access for pre-qualified international buyers to multi-destination FAM trips spanning six key countries Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Madagascar, Uganda and Zimbabwe. This innovative approach is a cornerstone of Essence of Africas strategy and marks a new era in buyer engagement within the African tourism sector.
A recent survey conducted by Essence of Africa identified significant challenges within the tourism industry, notably difficulty in finding suitably qualified buyers. Essence of Africa addresses this challenge by meticulously curating its audience to ensure exhibitors connect with the right buyers. This targeted engagement maximises exhibitors' return on investment and mitigates the difficulties associated with independently identifying and reaching qualified buyers.
How FAM trips address Africas tourism growth challengesAlthough the African travel and tourism sector is poised for significant growth 6.5 per year over the next decade, according to the World Travel Tourism Council in collaboration with VFS Global there are challenges hindering accelerated development.
For instance, feedback from major source markets indicates global travel trade often lacks sufficient knowledge about Africa, impeding the ability to effectively sell the continents diverse offerings. FAM trips play an instrumental role in bridging this knowledge gap, exposing buyers to Africas landscapes, cultures and one-of-a-kind experiences firsthand so they can confidently share them with their clients.
