“We need to focus on increasing the continent’s visibility”

Taking over as ATTA®’s new Chair, James Haigh talks about his plans to further solidify the organization’s role as the preeminent voice of Africa.

By Şebnem Denktaş

What exactly does ATTA do, and how does it support its members?
ATTA, the African Travel and Tourism Association, is the leading trade association for the African travel and tourism industry. Our mission is to connect and support businesses and professionals involved in the African travel sector, whether they be buyers or suppliers of accommodations and services. We offer a variety of services for our members, including networking opportunities, marketing and promotional support, educational resources, and the dissemination of key industry information through our digital platforms, events, and workshops. Additionally, ATTA provides a voice for the African tourism industry, where necessary advocating for policies that benefit our members and the broader tourism ecosystem.

As the new Chair of ATTA, what are your key business plans and targets?

My key role is to harness the incredibly strong ATTA senior management team and advisory committee members to concretise ATTA’s role as the leading organization for African travel and tourism. In the immediate term, we plan to increase our membership base, ensuring that we represent the full spectrum of the industry—from tour operators to hoteliers, wildlife conservancies to media. We also have plans in motion to expand our influence globally, particularly in key international markets where African tourism may be underrepresented. One of our main targets is to enhance the visibility of Africa’s diverse tourism offerings through more digital and in-person events, as well as investigating and discussing new European Union legislation regarding Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental, Social, and Governance on behalf of our members.

What challenges do you anticipate in your role, and how do you plan to turn them into opportunities?

Shifting global travel patterns and the COVID crisis created financial strain for many of our members, this strain is especially felt by our SME members operating in shall we say, marginal areas. Our prime intention is to provide them with a marketing platform that allows them to amplify their voice.

We intend to leverage new technologies and platforms to showcase Africa’s tourism offerings to a broader audience, both virtually and more traditionally – in person. Another challenge is the issue of sustainability and overtourism, particularly in our most popular destinations. I believe this is an opportunity for ATTA to lead by example, promoting responsible travel practices and working closely with our members to encourage them to share successful initiatives and create sustainable tourism strategies for Africa’s natural and cultural heritage.

What does it take to become an ATTA member, and how is the membership base evolving?

To become an ATTA member, businesses need to be directly involved in the travel and tourism industry, whether as tour operators, destination marketers, accommodation providers, or related service providers. Membership offers access to a range of resources, including networking events, marketing support, and the opportunity to be part of a collective voice advocating for the interests of African tourism. Applicants must be supported by 2 members and approved by the membership.

Currently, we have over 800 members across 52 African countries, and our goal is to expand this to include more businesses in the tourism ecosystem, especially buyers. We’re targeting an increase with a particular focus on encouraging younger, more tech-savvy entrepreneurs and recent startups in the tourism space.

What’s the current demand for Africa as a tourism destination, especially after COVID-19?

We are seeing a good tourism recovery across all African markets with North African countries leading the way and showing a full recovery to pre-pandemic levels. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania stands out as the top performer that has already exceeded 2019 business levels with destinations like Gambia, Ghana, Zambia, South Africa and Kenya are expected to have recovered to 2019 levels this year.

Many traditional markets, particularly those in Europe and North America, are eager to return to Africa’s diverse and unique attractions. We are seeing growing interest in safari experiences, cultural tourism, and eco-tourism.

At the same time, you could say that markets that may have been described as emerging pre-COVID are now firmly established, especially in relation to the safari heavy hitter countries like South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. In 2025, we expect this demand to continue rising, particularly as travelers seek more sustainable and meaningful travel experiences. While there were certainly challenges during the pandemic, we’re now in a phase of rebuilding, with a focus on showcasing Africa as a safe, responsible, and truly authentic destination.

What has ATTA done to help stimulate demand for Africa as a travel destination?
ATTA has been at the forefront of promoting Africa globally through various sales events, in particular Experience Africa, that brings together industry professionals, media, and influencers to highlight the best of what Africa has to offer. We’ve also ramped up our digital presence through social media and partnerships with international travel platforms, helping to elevate the visibility of African destinations.

We are also in the process of enhancing our relationship with the media to ensure that our members will be able to benefit from editorial and commercial opportunities that are exclusive to ATTA.

What are ATTA’s plans for promoting travel, tourism, and transport within Africa in 2025 and beyond?

In 2025, ATTA plans to focus on several key areas. Firstly, we would like to facilitate the exchange of information between on the ground service providers and regional and international air travel to facilitate more and easier airlift.

Our commitment to explaining the EU’s CSR and ESG legislation in addition to being a moral imperative is also designed to give our members access to markets that may otherwise have denied them. We also want to enhance marketing campaigns to encourage African travelers to explore their own continent more extensively, especially destinations that may not yet be on their radar. Additionally, we’ll continue to work with governments and local tourism bodies to enhance infrastructure and create more accessible travel experiences for both international and regional tourists.

We also want to ensure that as ATTA we engage with relevant authorities and tourism bodies both in markets and in the continent to highlight and address challenges that impact the growth of the African tourism market.

How does ATTA address sustainability and conservation issues, particularly in relation to African wildlife and overtourism concerns?

Sustainability and conservation are at the heart of everything we do at ATTA. We work closely with conservation organizations, government bodies, and local communities to ensure that tourism benefits both people and wildlife.

We have a sustainability charter with 10 principles that we encourage all our members to endorse and put into practise.

We’ve implemented responsible tourism guidelines for our members, focusing on reducing the environmental footprint of tourism and promoting eco-friendly practices. We also encourage our members to support initiatives like wildlife protection programs, and we’re actively involved in conversations about managing tourism in sensitive areas to prevent overtourism.
One of our current projects is advocating for the promotion of lesser-known destinations in Africa to reduce pressure on over-visited hotspots.

Which international markets do you think need to be better connected with African tourism?

I believe that all markets present significant opportunities for African tourism. Mature markets like Europe and North America are likely to maintain their dominance in the midterm but can be encouraged to broaden their demand for “off the beaten track” eco systems and products. While new markets with large, growing middle classes demonstrate a keen interest in international travel with the natural resources and cultural experiences that are in so much abundance throughout Africa.

To tap into these markets, ATTA is focusing on building strategic partnerships with travel trade organizations worldwide.

What concrete steps should be taken to position Africa as a leading global tourist destination?

To position Africa as a continent with a huge variety of top global tourist destinations, we need to focus on increasing the continent’s visibility and improving the consistency of the tourism experience across borders. This includes better infrastructure, easier visa processes, and greater promotion of Africa’s diverse offerings beyond just safaris—like cultural heritage sites, beach resorts, and adventure tourism.

ATTA is also working on enhancing Africa’s digital presence through content marketing, influencer partnerships, and strategic collaborations with global tourism bodies to highlight Africa’s unique advantages.

Does ATTA have plans to integrate new technologies or digital systems into its platform, particularly around AI?

Yes, we are actively exploring new digital tools and technologies to enhance our services to members. We’re in the process of upgrading our digital platform to make it more user-friendly and interactive. These advancements will help streamline operations, improve member engagement, and provide better insights into tourism trends across Africa.

How do you think AI technologies will help grow tourism, and what role will ATTA play in this?

AI has enormous potential to transform the tourism industry, from personalized marketing to predictive analytics for booking trends. By leveraging AI, we can provide more tailored recommendations for travelers and help our members optimize their marketing efforts. 

ATTA has already hosted several educational webinars for our members on how to leverage AI for their businesses and we plan to have more of these for our members.

ATTA can play a role in this process by hosting discussions around other technological advancements for our members, ensuring they have access to the latest tools that can drive both operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Can you tell us more about the Experience Africa event that ATTA organizes?

Experience Africa was created to bring together tourism professionals, media, and key influencers to showcase Africa as a premier travel destination. We’ve hosted several editions, starting in 2018, and it has grown into one of the most important and popular trade events on the UK tourism calendar. Offering networking opportunities, B2B meetings, and destination showcases, and Experience Africa has had a significant impact on driving bookings and raising awareness for Africa’s tourism potential. Moving forward, we aim to expand this event to more regions and diversify the types of experiences that are showcased, including cultural tourism, culinary tourism, and sustainable travel.

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