According to the Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI) 2024, South Africa is the top tourist destination in Africa.
The global Travel & Tourism (T&T) sector is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2024, driven by the end of restrictions and strong demand.
However, challenges such as uneven regional recovery, labor shortages, and supply-demand imbalances persist. External factors like global inflation, conflicts, and environmental issues add further pressure.
The report noted that the scores for sub-Saharan Africa Sub-Saharan Africa (Africa) has shown the most substantial enhancement in TTDI performance since 2019 (+2.1%), with 16 out of the 19 regional economies covered by the index increasing their TTDI scores.
In 2024, Africa had the highest score for T&T Socioeconomic Impact, with the T&T industry in Africa generating, on average, over 21% more jobs for each direct position than the TTDI mean, and with an average of over 43% of the sector workforce employed in segments that are considered relatively high wage.
The top 10 tourist destinations in Africa are led by South Africa, with Mauritius and Botswana in second and third place, respectively. Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Namibia, Zambia, Ghana, and Senegal complete the top ten list.
| Country | Score |
|---|---|
| South Africa | 3.99 |
| Mauritius | 3.98 |
| Botswana | 3.71 |
| Kenya | 3.68 |
| Tanzania | 3.65 |
| Rwanda | 3.45 |
| Namibia | 3.45 |
| Zambia | 3.45 |
| Ghana | 3.28 |
| Senegal | 3.24 |