Africa Arrives at WTTC Global Summit with $241 Billion Tourism Economy and Growing Influence
The 26th WTTC Global Summit opens in Valletta, Malta on 7 October, bringing together more than 1 000 delegates from over 100 countries under the theme "FUTU[RE]SET: Shaping the Future of Travel and Tourism." Africa will be represented at senior level, with South Africa's Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy, Visit Rwanda CEO Jean-Guy Afrika, Uganda Tourism Board CEO Juliana Kagwa and African Union Commissioner Francisca Tatchouop Belobe among those attending. WTTC Executive Vice-President Najib Balala, Kenya's former Tourism Minister, will also bring an African perspective to the organisation's strategic agenda.
The continent arrives with considerable economic weight behind it. According to the latest WTTC data, travel and tourism contributed $228 billion to the African economy in 2025, a figure projected to reach $241 billion in 2026, with the sector expected to support 31.5 million jobs this year. Africa welcomed 99.2 million international visitors in 2025, while international visitor spending is forecast to reach $80 billion in 2026 - alongside a domestic market that already accounts for 61% of total tourism spending on the continent. Key summit themes including digital mobility, border experience, artificial intelligence and investment are directly relevant to Africa's tourism growth agenda, with the continent increasingly positioned to shape global industry priorities rather than simply respond to them.
Source: Africa News Agency
