Launch of Airlift Zambia Initiative Aligns with AviaDev Africa 2027 Hosting
Zambia has been confirmed as the host of AviaDev Africa 2027, with Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL) serving as the official host partner. The announcement coincides with the launch of Airlift Zambia, a comprehensive air access initiative aimed at closing connectivity gaps, attracting new international carriers, and securing direct long-haul routes to Europe, the Gulf, Asia, and North America. AviaDev Africa - the continent's only dedicated air service development conference - has previously been held in Windhoek (2024), Zanzibar (2025), and Botswana (2026), and brings together airlines, airports, tourism authorities, and government officials to drive route development and connectivity strategy.
The hosting announcement comes against a backdrop of strong aviation and tourism growth for Zambia. International arrivals more than doubled from approximately 1.1 million in 2022 to 2.3 million in 2025, with the government targeting between 2.5 and 3 million arrivals in 2026 and a longer-term goal of building a USD $1 billion tourism industry by 2031. Zambia has committed K1.5 billion (approximately USD $55 million) to the tourism sector in 2026, supporting infrastructure, conservation, and destination marketing. Recent airline additions - including Qatar Airways, Uganda Airlines, Fastjet Zimbabwe, and Eswatini Air - alongside Proflight Zambia's expanded regional services to Windhoek and Gaborone, reflect growing commercial confidence in the destination. ZACL manages four international airports, with Livingstone and Mfuwe positioned as key gateways for wildlife and adventure tourism.
Source: VoyagesAfriq
