Essence of Africa 2025 Kicks Off in Kenya with Strong Industry Focus and Global Insight
Essence of Africa 2025 opened this week at Diamonds Malindi, bringing together 150 African exhibitors and 150 international buyers from over 40 countries for a three-day forum centred on trade and partnership development. The event began with an opening keynote from explorer Riaan Manser, who urged delegates to move beyond conversation and take meaningful action to grow Africa’s tourism industry through collaboration and long-term relationships.
The first day featured regional market sessions offering strategic insights for African tourism businesses. Highlights included shifting booking behaviours in North America – particularly a rise in 24-month lead times and increased demand for digital detox experiences – as well as emerging interest from Latin American markets beyond South Africa. In the Asia-Pacific session, panellists noted growth in sustainable travel from the Indian market, the digital-first nature of Chinese outbound travel via WeChat, and strong long-stay, multi-generational travel trends from Australia. Visa access, flexible inventory management, and cultural understanding were identified as critical success factors across all markets.
Source: Essence of Africa
