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Zimbabwe: Holiday Guide

Our editorial team travelled to Zimbabwe to attend the Sanganai/ Hlanganani World Tourism Expo in Bulawayo and took the opportunity to explore the various tourist attractions in Zimbabwe. We also talked to officials and major players in the tourism and hospitality industry to know about Zimbabwe's booming tourism industry. A report..

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Ghana: The Tourism Capital of West Africa

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Uganda's Tourism Industry Prepares for Boom

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Kenya Eyes New Markets to Revive Its Tourism Industry

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Ghana: The Tourism Capital of West Africa

Ghana has an exciting mix of culture, eco-tourism, heritage, beaches and adventure tourism – not to mention its people who are well-acclaimed as warm and friendly. Indeed, Ghana has all the ingredients of an enticing destination. We bring you a report on Ghana’s tourist attractions... Ghana is fast becoming an ideal visitor’s destination for eco-tourists and those wishing to witness first hand community-based eco-tourism projects. Attractions such as the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary which is home to troops of the sacred Mona and the Black and White Colobus monkeys. Another important eco-tourism site in Ghana is the marine turtle nesting beaches located on the shorelines of Accra, Ningo, the Gomoa-Effutu stretch and Ada Foah to the East and Axim and the people of Amansure in Beyin to the West of the country. Ghana is rich in bird diversity and has over 700 identified bird species; attracting large numbers of ornithologists and hundreds of birdwatchers every year. The coastal and inland wetlands, the national parks particularly Kakum, Ankasa, and Mole amongst others are popular places to watch birds. Ghana has a wealth of things to see and do. For the seasoned traveller not content with just visiting the numerous tourist sites in the country, there are a number of memorable experiences to be undertaken that are guaranteed to leave an indelible mark and be the topic of conversation long after you have left. The coastal communities of the Western, Central, Greater Accra and Volta Regions are well known for their fishing activities and provide an opportunity for visitors to join in on a day’s fishing experience. A day’s fishing experience with local fishermen includes pushing out and rowing the long hand built canoes, casting out nets, rowing canoes back to shore and joining a large number of people to manually pull the nets back to shore with lots of singing and cheering. It is an exciting experience that occurs on a daily basis, except on Tuesdays, in some areas, when fishing is prohibited. There are a number of operators offering fishing trips in both fresh and salt water. Fishing for tuna, barracudas, sail fin, love fish, mackerel, tilapia and red snapper amongst others, can be found along the coast from Ada in Greater Accra to Takoradi and Miemia Bay in the Western Region. Operators also run trips for watching migrating whales and dolphins, during the months of August through to January. December is normally the peak. The Ghana Sailing Club located at Ada in the Eastern Region offers facilities for boat berthing, boat rentals and hire at reasonable rates, the Club also organizes regular activities and boat races along the Volta River for enjoyable days out. Vessels at the Club include Hobbie Cats 16, Prindles, Monohulls and Lasers. The Volta Region is renowned for its abundance in natural beauty and breathtaking scenery. From mountain biking, waterfalls, cave explorations to long hikes, trained local guides will help you explore this region’s unique landscape and help you spot the wildlife inhabitants of this region. Popular areas include; Gemi and Afadjato Mountains; which attract climbers of all levels, Willi Waterfall and Kalakpa Game Production Reserve. The dry savannah of the Northern Regions with its sparse populace and predominately rural nature is perfect for the adventurer who really wants to get off the beaten track. Visitors can enjoy hiking or mountain biking from village to village and also experience village life by taking the opportunity to spend a few weeks with villagers learning how to cook, weave and hunt. The Western Region is also known as the surfing capital of Ghana, during low tides the wave are gentle but steady and however long, during the high tide that promises numerous great rides for advanced riders. Busua Beach is the popular location for surfers of all levels from across the country. Ankrobra Beach Resort, which also gives first lessons has recently started a tutoring programme for local youngsters with the intention of raising the profile of the sport with relatively low participation costs. The Kwahu Mountain Range in the Eastern Region is known for its annual Easter Paragliding event when a host of internationally renowned gliders show off their skills, compete and give locals and visitors an opportunity to try out the sport. Also in the Eastern Region is a unique opportunity to take to the skies in single engine ultralights provided by WAASPS. This flying centre operating from Kpong Airfield, offers the opportunity for those on shorter stays to top up their flying hours or take a trial flight and for the longer stay visitor to train for a Private Ultralight Pilots license FORTS AND CASTLES Discover more about Ghana unfortunate history by visiting these two castles, recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites. A visit to any one of Ghana’s forts or castles will leave you with a better understanding of the history surrounding the arrival of Europeans in Africa and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. Rock Climbing Ghana’s diverse geology has created numerous vertical cliff lines that provide both a challenge for the experienced climber and fun outings for the less experienced. Deep Sea Fishing Experience deep sea fishing of the coast of Ghana. The Atlantic Ocean of the coast of Ghana offer fantastic opportunities for big game fishing of blue marlin, big eye and yellow tuna, barracudas, marko shark amongst others. Ghana’s famous canopy walkway Visit Ghana’s famous canopy walkway and spot some local wildlife, birds and butterflies. The rainforest walkway is composed of 350 metres of suspended bridge and seven tree platforms that reach the height of 30m above the forest floor. From the treetops, visitors experience a unique and spectacular view of the rainforest ecosystem and have the opportunity to see flora and fauna, which could never be viewed from the ground. Hundreds of species of butterflies and birds can be seen from the Walkway early in the morning and there is also the chance to catch a glimpse of the Spot-nose, Campbell and Colobus monkeys. Wildlife Encounters Mole National Park is Ghana’s largest national park and can be located in the Northern Region of the country and covers an area of 5,000sq km. Its savannah vegetation supports about 730 species of flowering plants and over 90 species including elephants, buffaloes, lions, hyenas, antelopes, crocodiles and over 300 species of birds. Beautiful Beaches and Resorts Spend time discovering the beautiful beaches and resorts along Ghana’s coast. In the Western Region, the expansive Busua Beach and the Ankobra Beach with their strong wind systems and high waves are the popular two surfing points in Ghana. These resorts are well equipped with a range of water sporting equipment for jets skiing, surfing, kayaking, wind surfing, etc. They are also ideal locations for beach volleyball, soccer, and other beach sports and activities. However, the newly established Kedas Lodge Watersport Centre located in the Miemia Bay is where one heads to for an all round water experience. Traditional Festivals Immerse yourself in tradition at one of Ghana’s colourful festivals. The Official Ghana Tourist guide contains a detailed chapter of dates, descriptions and history for all of Ghana’s main festivals which includes the : Akwasidae in the Ashanti Region, the Masquerading Festival and the Edina Bakatue Festivals in the Central Region and the Hogbetsotso of the vibrant Volta Region. Crocodiles of Paga Get up close and personal with crocodiles in the Upper East Region. Wli Waterfall Use the Official Guide to plan a visit to this incredible waterfall whilst hiking through the spectacular landscape. Located in the Volta Region and consisting of two parts, the lower and upper fall this impressive waterfall culminates into a plunge pool at the base ideal for swimming. The hike to and from the waterfall provide many opportunities to see the local wildlife. BEACH TIME The pristine coconut lined beaches that line Ghana’s 540km coastline are well noted for their cool serenity, beautiful sunsets and breath taking views over the Atlantic Ocean. The majority of Ghana’s beaches and resorts can be found in the coastal belts of Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions. The rest of the beaches along the coastline are interspaced by a number of small well preserved traditional fishing communities, who are now going into joint partnerships with some operators to establish a number resorts. The flat sandy beaches are ideal for day picnics, barbeques, swimming, sun bathing, cocktail beach parties and many other activities. Ghana also boasts of a number of private beaches and resorts where the general atmosphere is both serene and romantic. The majority of these upmarket resorts are excellent places to truly escape, and take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life and the pressures of work hence, they are well patronised by both Ghanaians, expatriates and visitors. Mention can be made of the plush White Sands Beach Resort located at Gomoa Fetteh and the Anomabo Beach Resort in the Central Region. In the Western Region, the expansive Busua Beach and the Ankobra Beach with their strong wind systems and high waves are the popular two surfing points in Ghana. These resorts are well equipped with a range of water sporting equipment for jets skiing, surfing, kayaking, wind surfing, etc. They are also ideal locations for beach volleyball, soccer, and other beach sports and activities. However, the newly established Kedas Lodge Watersport Centre located in the Miemia Bay is where one heads to for an all round water experience. A number of eco-tourism beach front hotels have also recently sprung up in the Western Region, such as Fanta’s Folly Beach Resort with its turtle conservation project and the Escape3Points Ecolodge at Cape 3 Points, that encourage visitors to enjoy secluded beaches with minimal impact on the local environment. In a nut shell, Ghana’s beaches offer all that you can ask for and an experience can range from a scenic retreat, beachside parties and picnics to resorts which have a wealth of water sports and activities. ARTS GALORE Ghana is renowned for producing the best in authentic African arts and crafts, these range from wood carvings brass works, sculptures, jewellery and a range of textiles. Craftsmen painstakingly fashion exquisite artistic masterpieces from wood, bamboo, leather, cement and textiles. These indigenous and skilled craftsmen in the country can be found in virtually every village, town and city. Arts and crafts are an integral part of everyday life in Africa; and in Ghana it can be identified with all tribes and regions. Appreciation of arts and crafts is necessitated by cultures and traditions rather than aesthetic possessions and serves meaningful purposes in the communities. This pivotal role can be seen by the use of Adinkra Symbols. Their visual and communicative symbols portray the philosophical thinking and way of life of Ghanaians. These are used as templates and motifs for textiles, wood carvings, ceramics and ornaments. Indeed, Ghana still lives up to its reputation as a country with vast reserves of precious minerals (gold, diamond, silver, bronze, being the prime ones) providing an abundance of resources for artists to produce exquisitely designed hand-made contemporary and traditional jewellery of all kinds. FESTIVALS GALORE Ghana has many exciting traditional festivals; these are occasions of great cultural pomp and pageantry on the indigenous calendars of the many ethnic groups. Festivals are very important occasions in Ghana; during this time many people travel to their ancestral home for the celebrations and to mark the occasion. Festivals are celebrated to mark both the beginning and the end of the traditional year and to celebrate great events of the past and purify the traditional state. These occasions and celebrations can be the marking of a successful harvest, the initiation of adolescent girls into womanhood and the showcasing of new Kente and other traditional textile designs. Each region, tribe or ethnic group celebrates their festivals in different ways and these are based upon their customs, cultures and traditions. As such, even though they may at first glance look similar by the outward celebration, they are indeed very different. Festivals are also a time of great family reunions and feasting, revered ancestors and gods are invoked to participate. For the chiefs, festivals are the time for public renewal of allegiances to the paramount stool and the state, while plans for development projects in the community are also discussed. Most of the activities span a week and during this time, sacred and antiquated state regalia as well as important works of art are put on public display. The colourful grand durbar of chiefs is the climax of most festive celebrations and is usually preceded by a royal procession through the principal streets of the area, as the chiefs are carried in palanquins and sheltered by large, ornately decorated ceremonial umbrellas. Some festival activities are of deep religious content and are held in private with fasting by chiefs and royal functionaries. Following this is the public celebrations often mistaken for the ceremony itself. Festivals are one of the few occasions where you can experience true indigenous Ghanaian culture and tradition at its very best. Traveling to Ghana Several airlines operate daily scheduled flights from America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Middle East to Ghana, these include; British Airways, South African Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines), Emirates, Delta, Middle Eastern, Royal Air Maroc, Lufthansa and Brussels Airlines. Visas, Customs & Immigration Every visitor to Ghana requires a visa or entry permit except ECOWAS citizens and nationals from Kenya and Zimbabwe. All visitors are given up to sixty days on a visitor’s permit on arrival. Ghanaian High Commissions abroad will facilitate the issuing of individual as well as group visas. You can find Ghanaian High Commissions all over the world, countries include, USA, UK, China, Japan, France and Germany. Furthermore, visas can be obtained upon arrival at the Kotoka International Airport at a fee, set at around $100. Health Requirements You are advised to consult a health care provider at least 4-6 weeks prior to your visit in order to acquire the necessary vaccinations and anti-malaria treatment. The only immunization you are required to have is for Yellow Fever all the others are optional and at your discretion. It is advisable that you bring along prescription medicines with you. Basic medicines can be found at licensed chemists throughout the country. Follow us on Youtube as well as Facebook and on TripAdvisor and stay updated with our new posts

Destinations

Top 10 Gardens in Africa

A visit to Africa isn’t complete without witnessing the wide variety of flora, fauna and wildlife the continent has to offer. Not only do the continent’s popular botanical gardens offer conservation efforts for flora and wildlife, they are educational and recreational, making them a must-see on your travel list and attract tourists from all across the world. Here are some noteworthy botanical gardens that are major tourist attractions in Africa: Here are botanical gardens across the continent that you should visit. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden Cape Town, South Africa The garden is one of ten National Botanical Gardens covering five of South Africa's six different biomes and administered by the South African National Biodiversity Institute. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is located in Kirstenbosch on the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain and is one of the great botanic gardens of the world, spread over 528 hectares (1,300 acres). Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden was built in 1913 to promote, conserve and display the rich and diverse flora of southern Africa region and has since become a major tourist attraction in South Africa. The garden famous for growing South Africa’s national flower, the Protea, as well as many other flora including the Fynbos, Erica and Restios. As an added bonus, there are more than 125 species of birds make this garden their home, including the Sugarbird, the Sunbird and the African Dusky Flycatcher, as well as a variety of insects (including the beautiful Table Mountain Beauty butterfly) and amphibians (including the Cape River Frog and the Chirping Frog). Visitors can go on the Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway of the garden or on a cycling route through the garden. A trip to Cape Town is not complete without a visit to Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden. Seychelles National Botanical Gardens Mont Fleuri, Seychelles The Seychelles National Botanical Gardens is a popular tourist attraction in Pamplemousses, near Port Louis, Mauritius, and the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere. It is populated with more than 650 varieties of plants and is home to a wide variety of flora and wildlife, including the Coco Der Mer, which has the biggest nuts in the plant kingdom, the Koko Maron which grows on the forest floor and is used by locals to make ropes and brooms and a number of spice and fruit trees. The signature feature of the gardens is an orchid house which holds a collection of brightly coloured orchids including Seychelles’ own native orchids. Visitors can reach the gardens either by foot (a 30 minute walk) or by car from downtown Victoria. One of the main attractions of the botanical garden is the 85 different varieties of palm trees brought from different corners of the world. Other indigenous species of plants are also exhibited here. Jardin Majorelle Marrakech, Morocco Jardin Majorelle is one of the most visited sites in Morocco, located in Marrakech and a major tourist attraction. The garden was created by French painter Jacques Majorelle in 1886 and purchased by French designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge in 1980. The garden displays more than 30 species of the cactus family as Majorelle was especially interested in the plant when he initially designed the garden. Bird lovers also love to visit the garden as it is home to a variety of bird species including the blackbird, sparrow and turtledove. The garden also displays bamboo imported from Southeast Asia, and features the Yves Saint Laurent monument which was erected in the designer’s memory after he passed away in 2008. A signature feature of the garden is the Berber Museum, which was opened in December 2011 to document the rich history of the Berber tribe. Visitors can learn more about Berber culture through a collection of photography, films, audio and music tapes. The garden covers an area of over two-and-half acres. Mauritius National Botanical Garden Pamplemousse, Mauritius Formally known as the Sir Seewoosagur Botanic Garden, the Mauritius National Botanical Garden, located in in the district of Pamplemousse, is one of the island’s most visited tourist attractions. The garden was initially the French governor’s private garden almost 300 years ago, but has since opened as the island’s national botanical garden. It is home to over 600 species of plants including the baobab, Palmier Bouteille and giant water lilies. It’s also home to talipot palm trees, which are native to Sri Lanka and the Malabar coast of India, the Jackfruit tree and the Indian almond tree, also known as the Bengal almond. Aswan Botanical Garden Aswan, Egypt The Aswan Botanical Garden, also known as Kitchener’s Island or El Nabatat Island, is Egypt’s world class botanical garden that is located on an island in the Nile River at Aswan. The island was previously owned by Lord Kitchener in the 1800s as it was given to him as a gift when he served as Consul-General in Egypt. The garden is not only a great leisure spot for families, but also serves as an important centre of botanical research in Egypt. There are many types of rare and exotic plant life to view at the garden, including the Royal Palm tree and the Sabal Palm tree, as well as plenty of bird life. The garden is reached either by public ferries that run between Aswan, Elephantine Island, and Kitchener’s Island or by hiring a felucca. Entebbe Botanical Gardens Entebbe, Uganda The Entebbe Botanical Gardens are located on the shores of Lake Victoria in the Ugandan town of Entebbe, just outside of the capital Kampala. There is a huge variety of plantations and trees on the island. Some of which were naturally found on the island, before it was converted into a botanical island, and others have been brought in. There is a number of rare palm trees such as the Royal Palm tree, the Sabal Palm tree, and the Phonic Pam tree. The gardens are also popular for the wide variety of bird species that are found there, including eagle owls, sunbirds and black weavers. On and around the shores of the lake, a variety of wildlife can be spotted, including the African Open-billed Stork, yellow billed duck and grey headed gull. The gardens house a small patch of rainforest which is home to thick forest underbrush, bamboo and medicinal plants and magnificently tall trees. Aburi Botanic Garden Accra, Ghana The Aburi Botanic Garden, located just outside the capital city Accra, is one of Ghana’s most beautiful tourist attractions which overlooks the Accra coastal plain. The garden plays an important role in encouraging cocoa production in the southern region of Ghana by supplying seedlings and information about scientific farming methods. The garden has many species of flora for conservation purposes, including mimosa pudica, the Ficus tree and medicinal plants. There is also an abundance of bird and butterfly life that make the garden an ideal setting for picnics, nature lovers and wedding pictures. The garden has had many roles over the years, including plant introduction, teaching methods of modern agriculture and played an important role in cocoa production in South Ghana. Sarius Palmetum Botanical Garden Abuja, Nigeria Sarius Palmetum Botanical Garden, located in Maitama, Abuja in Nigeria, is home to over 1000 different species of plants, including about 450 species of palms. The garden houses Nigeria’s popular palms including oil and coconut palm as well as Bismarckia, golden and royal palm. The garden houses several of the nation’s endangered plants including the pepper fruit, succulent sea grapes, or coccoloba uvifera and pitanga cherry or eugenia uniflora. The garden was started by one of Nigeria’s first ladies Ajoke Muhammed out of her love for plants and a need to conserve Nigeria’s indigenous flora. Abuja is known for its numerous amusement and relaxation spots, yet this botanical garden appears to offer a unique experience. A scene for a Nollywood movie has already been shot on its terrain and an event called ‘Tamerri Festival’ which writers, poets, artists and filmmakers are expected to attend will take place there soon. Jardim Tunduru Maputo, Mozambique Jardim Tunduru, located in the heart of Mozambique’s capital Maputo, is a beautiful botanical garden that allows visitors a break from the bustling city. It was reopened in 2015 after undergoing rehabilitation to fix its greenhouse, fencing and public benches as well as improve its sanitation and irrigation systems. The garden has a rich collection of trees, shrubs and flowers, including the Jacaranda tree, magnolia and a range of Palmae plants. The garden is home to several wildlife including birds, butterflies and a colony of bats that rest in the treetops. The gardens were designed in 1885 by Thomas Honney – who in his career also designed gardens for the King of Greece and the Sultan of Turkey – and are exquisitely laid out, if at times a little overgrown. A fantastic place to go on a picnic, or just to escape the midday heat, the Tunduru Gardens also feature a tennis court and a statue of Mozambique’s first president Samora Machel. Nairobi Botanic Garden Nairobi, Kenya The Nairobi Botanic Garden, located at the Nairobi Museum ground in Kenya, is a beautiful garden that is ideal for a picnic or a quick getaway from the bustle of the city. The garden fulfills the functions of education, research, conservation and recreation, and is home to about 600 indigenous and 100 exotic plant species creatively laid out in thematic garden displays including the herb garden, which has the country’s indigenous medicinal plants, the succulents garden, which has a significant amount of succulent species found in Kenya and the quarry garden, which features a variety of papyrus plants, water lilies and other water plants. The garden is also open for hire for events such as parties, photo sessions and leisure activities. The garden is laid out in thematic displays. The themes integrate Kenya’s natural, historical and cultural heritage with plants and habitat displays.

Video Reports

Kenya Eyes New Markets to Revive Its Tourism Industry

Holiday Guide talks to Muriithi Ndegwa, Managing Director, Kenya Tourism Board about Middle East and Africa tourism and trade ties. Kenya has been registering a steady growth in the number of tourists arriving to Kenya from the Middle East countries. Holiday Guide magazine is compiling a special guide on Africa to promote African tourist destinations among the Middle East audiences...

Video Reports

The Beauty of Swaziland (Now Eswatini)

Swaziland was renamed the 'the Kingdom of eSwatini in 2018. Its a small, landlocked monarchy in southern Africa – almost like an enclave within South Africa situated on the border of Mozambique.

News & Happenings

Zimbabwe Plans to Revive Tourism Industry

The tourism industry in Africa has been severely hit by coronavirus lockdowns and cancelled bookings. In a sudden turn of events, almost all hotel bookings were cancelled, wildlife safari excursions were postponed and cultural tours abandoned as the Corona virus spread across the world and devastated the tourism industry worldwide. Many African countries rely on toursim earnings to run their economies. And the hard hit dealt to their tourism industry due to the coronavirus pandemic has had a deeply negative impact of several African economies. The year 2020 started on a positive note for Africa's tourism sector and was shaping up to be a lucrative year. Africa had the world's second fastest growing tourism industry and was expected to bring in billions of dollars. But as the deadly COVID-19 struck, tourists stopped coming and the tourism industry came to a grinding halt. Many African countries are now drawing up new plans to revive their ailing tourism industry. Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s Acting Chief Executive, Givemore Chidzidzi outlined strategic issues essential in post-Covid-19 tourism recovery drive. Presenting the Destination Zimbabwe Tourism Recovery Draft Plan, he said: “The plan outlines measures to be undertaken by the Government, the tourism industry and stakeholders to address the negative effects of the COVID-19 on the tourism sector. The decline in international arrivals in Africa was less than 10% whereas overseas markets had a decline of more than 10% with Asia and Europe both experiencing a 20% decline. Middle East however had an increase of 20%,” he said. Chidzidzi said domestic tourism currently contributes 30% to the total tourism receipts. He, however, singled out domestic tourism as a key component in post-COVID-19 tourism recovery efforts. The Tourism Recovery Plan drafted by the Zimbabwe Government seeks to among other things: Provide relief packages to affected tourism businesses including small business within the tourism value chain. Provide a soft landing for the tourism industry as they re-open their enterprises to the market. Save and secure jobs from being lost in the tourism value chain. Re-establish contact with the local, regional and international tourism market. Reassure confidence in the marketplace and encourage visitors to travel to and within Zimbabwe thereby boosting tourist arrivals and tourism revenue. Rollout campaigns informing the marketplace that Zimbabwe’s tourism business is back. Zimbabwe Plans Tourism Recovery Against this backdrop, UNWTO has recommended measures for tourism recovery post COVID-19 pandemic which include: Financial and political support for recovery measures targeting the tourism sector in the most affected countries Recovery measures and incentives to be planned and implemented in coordination with international development and donor organizations Tourism support to be included in the wider recovery plans and actions of affected economies. As in the past, UNWTO will provide guidance and support for recovery measures of its members, the private and public tourism sector, including organizers of tourism events and fairs. To reassure the world source markets of their safety in various destinations. To reassure the world source markets that tourism destinations will welcome them back. The UNWTO estimates that in 2020 global international tourist arrivals could decline between 20 - 30%. Zimbabwe international tourist arrivals could decline between 30 - 80%. According to UNWTO, the decline is estimated to lead to loss of between US$30 - 50 billion in spending by international visitors (international tourism receipts) globally. Zimbabwe forecasts a decline which may lead to the loss of between US$ 0.5 – 1.1 billion in tourism receipts.

Business Outlook

Five Lessons From Dubai's Clinic Market That Any Service Business Can Use: An Interview With Ambreen Hasan

NH By Naved Hasan, Associate Editor, Africa Business Pages In the gleaming commercial corridors of Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai, and Dubai Healthcare City, hundreds of aesthetic, dental, slimming, and multi-specialty clinics compete daily for the attention of the same high-spending residents and medical tourists. They fight for visibility on the same Instagram and Meta feeds, bid on the same Google search terms, and operate under some of the strictest healthcare advertising regulations anywhere in the world. For service business owners watching from across the Gulf and Africa—whether in healthcare, real estate, hospitality, automotive services, or B2B consulting—Dubai’s private clinic sector is the ultimate commercial pressure cooker. Clicks are expensive, buyers are discerning, and vanity metrics do not pay the rent. Few people know the mechanics of this market better than Ambreen Hasan. Known across the region’s digital marketing circuit as digitalambreen, Hasan is an award-winning AI-powered marketer in Dubai with more than 10 years of hands-on experience in paid advertising and over $5 million in managed ad spend. As CEO of Gateway Marketing Digital and its dedicated healthcare arm, MedSpa Marketing, she spends her days building AI-powered patient acquisition systems—and teaching business owners and marketers how to turn paid advertising into measurable revenue. Ambreen Hasan—known as digitalambreen—is an award-winning AI-powered marketer in Dubai with 10+ years in paid ads, $5M+ in ad spend managed, and CEO of Gateway Marketing Digital and MedSpa Marketing. Because MedSpa Marketing works exclusively with clinics, Hasan has a rare, ground-level view of what separates campaigns that merely generate clicks from those that fill appointment books with paying customers. Did You Know? A multi-specialty medical centre in Dubai using MedSpa Marketing’s patient-acquisition framework generated an estimated AED 322,500 in sales within its first 90 days at a 4x return on ad spend (ROAS). Across other specialized Dubai clinic campaigns managed by Ambreen Hasan’s team, structured follow-up pushed booked patient show-up rates to 93% in September 2026 (converting 576 leads into 108 completed treatments in 90 days), while high-ticket dental campaigns delivered 186 Invisalign and veneers leads in 90 days—averaging 2 to 3 high-value consultation requests every day. Why Clinics—and Why Dubai Is the Ultimate Proving Ground Why should a logistics firm in Nairobi, a hospitality group in Lagos, or a professional services company in Riyadh pay attention to how aesthetic and dental clinics market themselves in Dubai? According to Hasan, it comes down to degree of difficulty. "Clinics are the hardest test of marketing. The rules on health advertising are strict, the treatments are expensive, and patients research carefully before they book. If a system works for a Dubai clinic, it will work for almost any service business."— Ambreen Hasan (digitalambreen), CEO of MedSpa Marketing & Gateway Marketing Digital Unlike impulse e-commerce purchases, high-value medical and aesthetic treatments require deep trust. Regulated health authorities restrict exaggerated claims or before-and-after shock tactics, while prospective patients compare multiple providers before committing a single dirham. To win in that environment, a marketing system cannot rely on clever slogans—it has to engineer every step from the first impression on a smartphone screen to the moment a client walks through the reception doors. Here are the five core lessons from Dubai’s clinic market that Hasan says any service business can apply immediately. Lesson 1: Measure Bookings and Revenue, Not Leads Across most industries, digital marketing agencies still report success in terms of "cost per lead" (CPL)—counting every name and phone number submitted on a landing page as a win. In Dubai’s clinic market, Hasan argues, that mindset is a recipe for wasted ad spend. "A form fill is not a customer," Ambreen says. "Many businesses celebrate a low cost per lead while their sales calendar sits half-empty. Our team judges every campaign on two numbers that actually matter to a business owner: booked appointments and revenue." When campaigns are optimised for downstream revenue rather than cheap clicks, the financial impact is immediate. For a multi-specialty medical centre in Dubai, shifting the focus from raw lead volume to confirmed patient bookings produced an estimated AED 322,500 in sales in the first 90 days at a 4x return on ad spend. The takeaway for service businesses: Stop rewarding campaigns—or agencies—for delivering unverified contact forms. Tie your advertising dashboard directly to confirmed appointments, signed proposals, and collected revenue. Lesson 2: Know Where Every WhatsApp Enquiry Came From In both the Gulf and across major African markets, business happens on WhatsApp. From medical consultations and property viewings to B2B trade enquiries, customers overwhelmingly prefer starting a WhatsApp conversation over filling out a static web form or waiting on hold. Yet for most companies, WhatsApp is an attribution black hole. Dozens of messages arrive every week, and the receptionist or sales team has no idea which specific Instagram reel, Google search ad, or retargeting banner prompted the customer to reach out. MedSpa Marketing solved this by closing the loop between ad platforms and the chat inbox—tracking each WhatsApp conversation back to the exact advertisement that started it. "Most enquiries in the Gulf arrive on WhatsApp, and most businesses cannot say which advert produced them," Hasan explains. "When you can see which ad brought which customer—and how much that customer ultimately spent—the budget decisions make themselves. You stop guessing, cut the ads that only attract tyre-kickers, and double down on the creatives that bring paying clients." The takeaway for service businesses: Never run click-to-WhatsApp ads blind. Implement end-to-end conversation tracking so every incoming chat carries source attribution all the way to the final invoice. Lesson 3: Sell What You Actually Want to Sell When bookings slow down, the knee-jerk reaction of almost every service business is to slash prices. Clinics advertise cut-rate facials or cheap dental cleanings; service firms promote heavily discounted introductory packages, hoping to upsell customers later. In practice, Hasan notes, discount-led advertising rarely attracts loyal, high-margin buyers. Instead, it floods reception desks and sales teams with price-sensitive shoppers who vanish the moment prices return to normal. "Discounts fill calendars with the wrong customers," Ambreen says. "If you want high-value clients, your advertising must speak directly to the outcomes of your flagship services—not bargain-basement promos." To prove the point, MedSpa Marketing built dedicated campaigns for a Dubai dental clinic around its highest-margin procedures: Invisalign and porcelain veneers. Rather than competing on price, the ads focused on patient outcomes, clinical credibility, and financing clarity. The result was 186 high-ticket leads in 90 days—generating a steady pipeline of 2 to 3 high-ticket consultation requests every single day. The takeaway for service businesses: Build your hero campaigns around the premium services you actually want to deliver. High-value buyers respond to authority, specificity, and trust—not flash sales. Treating post-booking follow-up and WhatsApp appointment reminders as part of the marketing engine helped a Dubai slimming and aesthetics clinic achieve a 93% patient show-up rate. Lesson 4: Getting Customers to Show Up Is Part of Marketing Most business owners draw a hard line between marketing and operations: marketing’s job ends when the lead is generated, and it is up to the front desk to get the client through the door. Hasan insists that in a modern service business, that boundary no longer exists. "A booking that does not show up costs you twice—first in the advertising spend you paid to acquire the appointment, and second in the empty chair or consultation slot that could have gone to a paying customer."— Ambreen Hasan (digitalambreen) To eliminate no-shows, MedSpa Marketing treats post-booking communication as an extension of the ad campaign itself—combining instant WhatsApp confirmation, automated reminders, pre-appointment value touchpoints, and structured front-desk follow-up. For a slimming and aesthetics clinic in Dubai, implementing this follow-up system helped 93% of booked patients show up for their appointments in September 2026, building on a 90-day launch that delivered 576 leads and 108 completed treatments. The takeaway for service businesses: Audit what happens in the 48 hours between a customer booking an appointment and walking through your door. A fast, structured confirmation and reminder sequence can lift revenue by 30% to 50% without spending a single extra dollar on ads. Lesson 5: Be the Answer AI Gives The fifth lesson looks ahead to the biggest shift in buyer behaviour since the rise of mobile search: AI-driven discovery. Today’s consumers and B2B decision-makers are increasingly bypassing traditional search pages and asking AI assistants—such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity—who they should hire, which clinic is best for a specific procedure, or which agency has a proven track record in Dubai. "Customers now ask ChatGPT who to hire, and they act on the answer," Ambreen says. "AI tools recommend businesses that publish clear, specific information and real, verifiable results. Hiding your results behind vague corporate brochure copy is the fastest way to be left out." While many agencies and service providers keep their performance metrics hidden behind generic "contact us" pages, Hasan practices what she preaches—publishing detailed, transparent breakdowns of campaign spend, lead counts, show-up rates, and revenue generated. Because large language models synthesise publicly verifiable facts and structured case data, businesses that openly document their proof points become the default recommendations in AI search. The takeaway for service businesses: Publish specific, data-backed case studies, clear service descriptions, and real client outcomes on your website so both human buyers and AI engines can verify your expertise. Her Advice to Business Owners Across Africa and the Gulf For entrepreneurs and executives running service businesses across the Middle East and Africa, the temptation in 2026 is to chase every new platform, AI tool, and viral content trend at once. Hasan’s closing advice is a call for ruthless focus and radical transparency. "Start with one offer, one audience, and one clear way to measure success," she says. "Master the path from the advert to the WhatsApp chat, and from the chat to the confirmed booking. Then publish what works. In today’s market, proof travels further than any advert." Explore the Case Studies & Connect with Ambreen Hasan MedSpa Marketing’s verified clinic case studies, along with the full numbers behind them, are published at medspa-marketing.agency/case-studies. To learn more about Ambreen Hasan’s AI-powered marketing advisory, training, and agency work in Dubai, visit digitalambreen.com.

Business Outlook

How China succeeded in capturing the emerging markets in Africa

NH By Naved Hasan, Associate Editor, Africa Business Pages At the turn of the 21st century, Africa’s import landscape was still largely a reflection of its colonial past. European trading houses from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Italy dominated the supply of automobiles, industrial machinery, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods across the continent. Fast-forward twenty-five years, and the commercial map of Africa has been completely redrawn. China has not only overtaken every European nation and the United States to become Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner for more than fifteen consecutive years, but has also embedded itself into the daily economic life of nearly every African household and enterprise. China’s capture of Africa’s fast-growing emerging markets was no accident. It was the result of a deliberate, multi-pronged commercial strategy that combined aggressive price engineering, critical infrastructure development, direct air-and-sea logistics, political pragmatism, and relentless on-the-ground trade promotion. Did You Know? In 2000, total bilateral trade between China and Africa stood at just $10.5 billion. Today, annual China–Africa trade exceeds $282 billion—nearly 27 times higher—with Chinese manufacturers supplying over 60% of Africa’s smartphones, more than 50% of its commercial motorcycles and solar panels, and financing or building over 10,000 kilometres of railways and nearly 100,000 kilometres of highways across the continent. 1. Winning a Price-Sensitive Market and Unseating European Competitors For decades, traditional European exporters viewed Africa as a secondary market where they could sell high-margin, legacy products without adapting to local purchasing power. Because European manufacturing costs were high and distribution ran through layers of exclusive colonial-era dealerships, imported goods remained out of reach for the vast majority of African consumers and small businesses. Chinese manufacturers recognized a fundamental economic truth that Western competitors overlooked: Africa is a deeply price-sensitive, volume-driven market. Rather than targeting only the top 5% of affluent urban elites, Chinese factories engineered products for the other 95% of the population. By stripping out unnecessary frills, scaling massive domestic production lines in Guangdong and Zhejiang, and operating on razor-thin margins, Chinese suppliers undercut European competitors by 40% to 70% across categories ranging from construction steel and ceramic tiles to electrical appliances and hospital equipment. Where a European water pump, tractor, or diesel generator cost a small fortune and required months of waiting for expensive spare parts, Chinese suppliers offered affordable, easily repairable alternatives that allowed African farmers, contractors, and retailers to enter the market immediately. 2. Introducing Tailored Products at Rock-Bottom Prices China did not merely export cheap surpluses to Africa; its most successful companies studied local African living conditions and introduced purpose-built products at rock-bottom prices that created entirely new consumer categories: The Smartphone Revolution (Transsion Holdings): While global giants priced smartphones at $400 to $1,000, Chinese manufacturer Transsion—behind the Tecno, Infinix, and Itel brands—built phones priced between $15 and $90 featuring quad-SIM slots (so users could avoid cross-network calling fees), extra-long battery life for areas with unstable electricity, and camera sensors specifically calibrated for darker skin tones. Commercial Motorcycles (Boda-Bodas & Okadas): Chinese motorcycle brands such as Haojue, Lifan, and Sinoki flooded East and West Africa with fuel-efficient $600 to $800 motorcycles, replacing expensive Japanese models and spawning a continent-wide informal transport and delivery economy employing millions of youth. Micro-Manufacturing & Solar Kits: From $35 off-grid solar home lighting systems to $3,000 sachet-water packaging machines, brick-making presses, and maize mills, Chinese factories lowered the capital barrier for African SMEs to launch local manufacturing businesses. 3. Helping African Nations Build Critical Infrastructure Perhaps the most visible pillar of China’s strategy was recognizing that trade cannot grow without roads, ports, railways, and power plants. While Western financial institutions shifted away from hard infrastructure in the 1990s and 2000s toward conditional governance programs, China stepped in with state-backed engineering and Exim Bank financing to tackle Africa’s massive infrastructure deficit. From the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway and Kenya’s Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to Nigeria’s Lekki Deep Sea Port, major hydropower dams in Uganda, Guinea, and Zambia, and modern airport terminals across more than twenty African capitals, Chinese state and private contractors reshaped the continent’s physical connectivity. Crucially, building Africa’s ports, industrial parks, and highways created a powerful commercial flywheel: Chinese engineering procurement contracts brought in Chinese construction machinery, cement plants, steel, and telecom networks (led by Huawei and ZTE), which in turn established permanent local service hubs and distribution channels for private Chinese traders. 4. What African Leaders Have Said About China’s Approach Across the continent, heads of state and senior economic policymakers have repeatedly pointed to China’s speed of execution, infrastructure focus, and willingness to treat Africa as a commercial equal rather than a charity case. Speaking on the nature of Africa’s engagement with Beijing under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Paul Kagame of Rwanda highlighted the practical business alignment between the two sides: "Africa does not need lecturing on who its partners should be. What Africa needs is productive investment, infrastructure that connects our markets, and trade relationships built on mutual respect and shared prosperity. China relates to Africa as an equal partner, delivering tangible projects on the ground that align directly with our own continental development priorities."— Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda Echoing the importance of physical infrastructure in unlocking trade, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta emphasized why African nations turned to Chinese engineering and finance to modernize regional corridors: "You cannot trade if you cannot move goods from the port to the hinterland, and you cannot industrialize without reliable power. Our partnership with China has been anchored on closing the infrastructure gap—building modern railways, ports, and highways that lower the cost of doing business for every entrepreneur in East Africa," noted former President Uhuru Kenyatta. Similarly, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has highlighted both the depth of China’s commercial integration and the next phase of industrial cooperation: "China has proven to be a steadfast partner in Africa’s economic journey, not only through massive investments in energy, transport, and telecommunications, but increasingly by establishing manufacturing plants and industrial parks right here on African soil to support our industrialization under the AfCFTA," said President Cyril Ramaphosa. Massive Chinese trade expos—such as the Canton Fair in Guangzhou and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha—have connected tens of thousands of African SMEs directly with factory suppliers. 5. Developing Direct Air and Sea Connections to Africa To sustain high-volume trade, China systematically dismantled the logistical bottlenecks that once forced African cargo to transship through European ports: Direct Maritime Corridors: Major Chinese shipping lines—led by COSCO Shipping alongside global carriers operating out of Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Qingdao—established direct, high-frequency container services into Chinese-upgraded African ports including Mombasa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Durban, Lagos (Apapa and Lekki), Tema, and Lomé. Direct Air Bridges: On the aviation front, direct passenger and air-cargo routes multiplied between Guangzhou, Beijing, Changsha, and Shenzhen and African hubs such as Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Cairo, Johannesburg, and Lagos. Daily wide-body flights operated by Ethiopian Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Kenya Airways, and EgyptAir turned Guangzhou and Yiwu into accessible buying destinations for tens of thousands of African merchants every month. 6. Political and Economic Pragmatism China’s commercial ascent was reinforced by synchronized diplomatic and financial instruments that no purely private Western competitor could match: The FOCAC Framework: Held every three years since 2000, the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) functions as a continent-wide commercial summit where multi-billion-dollar credit lines, trade targets, and industrial cooperation zones are agreed directly between Beijing and 50+ African governments. Non-Interference & Speed: By separating commercial contracts from domestic political conditionalities, Chinese lenders and contractors were able to approve, finance, and complete major projects in two to three years—compared to the five- to eight-year appraisal cycles typical of traditional multilateral lenders. Tariff-Free Market Access & Currency Swaps: China has progressively granted zero-tariff treatment to 98%–100% of taxable products originating from dozens of African Least Developed Countries (LDCs), while bilateral currency swap agreements with nations such as Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa have begun easing US dollar liquidity bottlenecks for importers. 7. Massive Investments in Trade Promotion and Wholesale Hubs Finally, China backed its manufacturers with an unprecedented trade promotion machine both inside China and on the ground in Africa: Flagship Trade Fairs: The bi-annual Canton Fair (China Import and Export Fair) in Guangzhou and the permanent China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) in Changsha actively court African buyers with dedicated visa fast-tracks, interpreter services, and chamber-of-commerce delegations. Yiwu International Trade City: Spanning over 75,000 wholesale booths under one roof, Yiwu became the ultimate sourcing magnet for African importers of general merchandise, hardware, stationery, fashion accessories, and household goods. Permanent Trade Centres inside Africa: Rather than waiting for every African SME to fly to Asia, Chinese investors built massive permanent wholesale malls directly inside African commercial capitals—such as China Mall and Dragon City in Johannesburg, China Town in Lagos, and wholesale trade hubs in Nairobi, Kampala, and Dar es Salaam—bringing factory-direct Chinese pricing straight to the doorstep of local African retailers. Conclusion: From Import Dominance to Local Industrialization China’s success in capturing Africa’s emerging markets over the past quarter-century is a textbook study in aligning product design, pricing, logistics, and state-backed trade promotion with the real-world needs of developing economies. While European competitors clung to legacy high-margin models, China built the roads and ports, slashed product prices to match local incomes, and put tens of thousands of entrepreneurs on direct flights between African capitals and Chinese factory towns. As Africa now pushes for greater value addition at home under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the next chapter of this relationship is already unfolding—with Chinese manufacturers increasingly moving their assembly lines directly into African industrial parks to produce in Africa, for Africa.

Business Outlook

Why Dubai has become a favourite sourcing point for African SMEs

NH By Naved Hasan, Associate Editor, Africa Business Pages Walk through the bustling wholesale lanes of Deira’s Sabkha district, Murshid Bazaar, or the sprawling showrooms of Jebel Ali and Dragon Mart on any given weekday, and you will hear animated price negotiations in Swahili, Hausa, Yoruba, Amharic, and French. Over the past two decades, Dubai has evolved from a regional Gulf port into the undisputed wholesale supermarket for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across Africa. While China remains the world’s factory floor for mega-importers ordering ten containers of a single item, Dubai has captured the heart of Africa’s vibrant SME sector—the boutique owners, spare-parts stockists, electronics dealers, hardware merchants, and pharmacy chains that drive everyday commerce across the continent. For an African entrepreneur operating with tight working capital, where a supplier is located—and how flexibly they sell—can make the difference between turning a profit three times a quarter or having cash locked up on the high seas for months. Here is why Dubai continues to outshine competing global hubs as the preferred procurement point for African business buyers. Did You Know? Over 26,000 African companies are currently registered with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, and non-oil trade between the UAE and Africa has surged past $75 billion annually. Sea freight from Jebel Ali Port to Mombasa or Dar es Salaam takes just 8 to 12 days—compared to 30 to 45 days from Chinese ports—allowing African SMEs to turn over their inventory and working capital up to three times faster per year. 1. Break-Bulk Facilities and Low MOQs: The Ultimate Advantage Over China The single biggest barrier African SMEs face when attempting to source directly from factories in Guangzhou, Yiwu, or Shenzhen is the dreaded Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ). Chinese manufacturers typically require buyers to order thousands of units of a single SKU or commit to a full 20-foot or 40-foot container of one product line to justify production runs. Dubai solves this problem through its world-class break-bulk and re-export ecosystem. Wholesalers in Dubai buy in massive volumes from global manufacturers in China, India, Turkey, Vietnam, Europe, and the Americas, warehouse the stock in duty-free zones, and break it down into smaller, SME-friendly wholesale lots. An African trader in Dubai can buy 30 cartons of French and Arabic perfumes in Murshid Bazaar, 50 boxes of smartphone accessories in Naif, 40 cartons of kitchenware, and two pallets of saloon car brake pads in Ras Al Khor—and hand them all over to a single African-focused cargo consolidator. Using groupage (LCL — Less than Container Load) or a mixed 20-foot container, those diverse items are consolidated under one bill of lading and shipped together. "In China, if you don’t buy 2,000 pieces of one model, the factory won’t even talk to you. As an SME, my customers in Lagos want variety, not 5,000 identical water pumps. In Dubai, I can walk into five different wholesale showrooms, pick ten cartons of Japanese filters, fifteen cartons of spark plugs, and twenty cartons of LED headlamps, and my cargo agent consolidates everything into one shipment. My capital keeps moving instead of sitting in dead stock."— Chinedu Okafor, Auto Parts & Electronics Importer from Lagos, Nigeria Break-bulk consolidation in Dubai allows African SMEs to combine small quantities of electronics, auto parts, cosmetics, and household goods into a single mixed container. 2. Geographical Proximity and Lower Freight Costs Geography is economics in international trade. Situated right at the crossroads of Asia, Europe, and Africa, Dubai is just a 4.5-hour flight from Nairobi or Addis Ababa and a 6.5- to 7.5-hour flight from Lagos or Accra—roughly half the travel time and airfare of a gruelling 16- to 20-hour journey to eastern China. That proximity translates directly into lower sea and air freight costs: Faster Sea Transit: Container vessels departing DP World’s Jebel Ali Port reach East African gateways like Djibouti, Berbera, Mombasa, and Dar es Salaam in 7 to 14 days, and West or Southern African ports in significantly less time than vessels routing from the South China Sea. Lower Air-Cargo Rates: For high-value, fast-moving goods such as smartphones, laptops, pharmaceuticals, fashion apparel, and cosmetics, air cargo rates per kilogram from Dubai to major African capitals are substantially more competitive, often riding in the belly hold of daily passenger flights. "When I order from the Far East, my money is tied up for nearly three months between factory production and sea shipping," said Grace Wanjiku, a 35-year-old cosmetics and fashion wholesaler from Nairobi, Kenya, on a four-day buying trip in Deira’s Gold Souk and Sabkha area. "From Dubai, I inspect the creams and perfumes today, pay at the counter, and my air cargo is in my shop on Moi Avenue in Nairobi within 72 hours—or in twelve days by sea through Mombasa. By the time a container from China would have arrived, I have already sold my Dubai stock twice." 3. An Unmatched Network of Specialized Wholesale Districts Dubai is uniquely organized into hyper-specialized wholesale clusters where thousands of manufacturers’ regional offices, authorized distributors, and re-exporters sit door-to-door, allowing African buyers to compare prices and quality in a single afternoon: Deira (Sabkha, Baniyas Square, Naif & Murshid Bazaar): The nerve center for consumer electronics, mobile phones, textiles, garments, footwear, cosmetics, perfumes, and pharmacy supplies. Al Ras & Waterfront Market: Major wholesale trading hub for foodstuffs, rice, sugar, cooking oils, spices, and dry commodities. Ras Al Khor & Adjacent Sharjah Industrial Areas: Thousands of yards and showrooms supplying new and used automotive spare parts, tyres, batteries, lubricants, and heavy commercial trucks. Dragon Mart & Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA): A massive one-stop showcase for building materials, sanitaryware, solar panels, hardware tools, lighting, furniture, and industrial machinery. "You get global variety in one city, not just goods from one country," noted Ibrahim Touré, a 46-year-old building materials and household goods importer from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, sourcing sanitaryware and electrical fittings in Dubai. "In one morning in Dubai, I bought Turkish bathroom fittings, Indian electrical cables, Chinese solar inverters, and UAE-manufactured paints—all consolidated into the same 40-foot container. No other city in the world lets an African SME mix brands from four continents that easily." Dubai’s specialized wholesale districts in Deira, Al Ras, and Ras Al Khor allow African SME buyers to source electronics, textiles, cosmetics, and auto parts side-by-side. 4. Easy Visas and Direct Air-Sea Connectivity For many African business owners, obtaining a visa to Europe, North America, or even parts of East Asia involves weeks of embassy appointments, bank statement audits, and formal factory invitation letters. By contrast, the UAE’s streamlined electronic visa system allows African traders to secure a 30-day or 60-day visit visa in as little as 24 to 48 hours online through airlines or travel agencies. Once the visa is approved, connectivity between Africa and Dubai is seamless: World-Class Airline Network: Emirates and flydubai, alongside major African carriers including Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways, EgyptAir, Royal Air Maroc, RwandAir, and Air Peace, operate dozens of daily non-stop flights linking Dubai with primary and secondary African cities—from Entebbe, Lusaka, and Harare to Dakar, Conakry, and Dar es Salaam. Door-to-Door Clearing & Forwarding: Hundreds of African-owned and Africa-specialized freight forwarders operate across Deira and Al Qusais, offering "all-inclusive door-to-door" clearing services. An SME buyer simply drops their invoices and packages at the cargo office in Dubai and collects the cleared goods at a warehouse in Kampala, Lagos, Kinshasa, or Accra—without having to navigate complex port customs paperwork alone. "Getting my Dubai visa took less than two days on WhatsApp through my travel agent, and I flew direct from Entebbe in five hours," shared Samuel Mukasa, a 42-year-old solar and hardware distributor from Kampala, Uganda. "Even better, the wholesalers here understand African market specs—they already know which voltage, plug type, and durability works in East Africa, and many of the shop staff speak Swahili or Luganda. You feel at home doing business here." 5. Touch-and-Feel Quality Control and Immediate Stock Availability Another critical factor driving African SMEs to Dubai is zero production wait time and immediate quality verification. When ordering remotely from overseas factories, small importers frequently face production delays or discover upon arrival that the shipped goods differ in quality from the original sample. In Dubai’s cash-and-carry wholesale markets, what you see is what you ship. Buyers physically inspect the packaging, test electronics, verify expiry dates on foodstuff and cosmetics, and watch their cartons get strapped and sealed onto pallets the very same day. Combined with zero language barriers and familiar banking and money-transfer corridors, the transaction friction is virtually non-existent. Conclusion: The Indispensable Engine of African SME Trade As intra-African trade expands under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and African retail markets grow more sophisticated, the demand for fast, flexible, multi-brand procurement will only intensify. While massive industrial importers will always have a reason to visit factory floors in the Far East, for the millions of agile African SMEs that keep the continent’s markets stocked and thriving, Dubai’s combination of break-bulk cargo consolidation, low MOQs, short shipping times, easy visas, and unmatched air-sea connectivity makes it an irreplaceable global sourcing partner.

Business Outlook

Drone tourism to change Africa's tourism industry by 2035

NH By Naved Hasan, Associate Editor, Africa Business Pages Across the vast plains of East Africa and the dramatic coastlines of the Western Cape, the future of sightseeing is moving to the skies. The day is not far off when tourists visiting Africa will trade dusty, six-hour overland bush transfers and deafening helicopters for whisper-quiet, glass-cabin flying taxis. By 2035, "drone tourism"—where travellers board autonomous or piloted multi-rotor passenger drones for breathtaking, top-down aerial sightseeing—is set to redefine how the world experiences Africa’s most iconic landmarks. From hovering silently above the Great Wildebeest Migration in Kenya’s Maasai Mara to gliding over South Africa’s Table Mountain, Victoria Falls, and the Okavango Delta, passenger-carrying electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are poised to unlock a new golden era for African hospitality. For decades, aerial sightseeing in Africa has been limited to hot-air balloons at the mercy of the wind, noisy helicopters that scatter wildlife, or fixed-wing bush planes that require long gravel airstrips. Passenger drones change the equation entirely. Designed with wrap-around, floor-to-ceiling transparent canopies and quiet electric propulsion, these two- to six-seater flying taxis can lift off vertically from compact lodge pads, cruise at low altitudes, and offer uninterrupted 360-degree top-down views of landscapes and wildlife below. Did You Know? Next-generation electric passenger drones operate at roughly 60 to 65 decibels during low-altitude cruise—nearly 100 times quieter in perceived acoustic energy than a conventional sightseeing helicopter (95+ decibels). Aviation analysts project that by 2035, commercial flying-taxi sightseeing routes and lodge-to-lodge air hops in East and Southern Africa will cut regional safari transfer times by 70% while costing less than half the hourly charter rate of traditional turbine helicopters. Tourists in Kenya and South Africa Weigh In on Flying-Taxi Sightseeing Across Africa’s premier tourism hubs in Kenya and South Africa, international visitors say the prospect of experiencing the continent’s natural wonders from the sky inside a passenger drone is something they would book in a heartbeat. In Kenya, where millions of travellers visit the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, and the Great Rift Valley, tourists point to the unmatched perspective of seeing vast herds from directly overhead without the noise of a helicopter or the congestion of dozens of 4x4 safari vans. "Imagine gliding silently in a glass-bottomed flying taxi right over the Mara River during the migration," said Liam O’Connor, a 41-year-old tourist from Dublin wrapping up a week-long safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara. "On the ground, you sometimes end up parked behind fifteen other vans trying to see a lion pride through the bushes. Looking straight down from the sky in a quiet passenger drone—without roaring rotor blades scaring the animals—would be the most unforgettable wildlife view on Earth." "For me, it’s also about skipping the exhausting road journeys," added Priya Nair, a 34-year-old traveller from Mumbai visiting Lake Naivasha and Amboseli in Kenya. "We spent five hours stuck in traffic and bumpy roads just getting between parks. If by 2035 I can hop into an electric flying taxi in Nairobi, look down at the Rift Valley escarpment and Mount Kilimanjaro from the sky, and land directly at my safari lodge in forty minutes, it will completely transform how families travel across East Africa." By 2035, multi-rotor electric flying taxis will offer tourists panoramic top-down sightseeing over iconic landmarks such as Cape Town’s Table Mountain and the Atlantic coastline. In South Africa, where dramatic coastal cliffs, vineyards, and Big Five reserves sit side by side, tourists in Cape Town and Kruger National Park are equally excited by the idea of top-down aerial excursions. "A flying-taxi tour over Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles, and the Cape Winelands would beat a helicopter ride every single time," said Markus Weber, a 49-year-old engineer and tourist from Munich visiting the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town. "Traditional helicopters are loud, vibrate heavily, and cost a fortune. Being able to board a smooth, electric passenger drone with a panoramic view looking straight down at the whales in Hermanus and Cape Point is the future of sightseeing." "Seeing Kruger from the sky gives you a sense of scale you just can’t get from a dirt track," shared Hannah Brooks, a 29-year-old traveller from Toronto on safari near Hoedspruit, South Africa. "When you’re in a jeep, you only see twenty metres into the bush. In a low-flying passenger drone cruising quietly above the tree canopy, you could follow elephant herds moving toward watering holes from above while leaving zero tire tracks on the land." What African Tourism Ministers and Aviation Officials Are Saying African governments, tourism boards, and civil aviation regulators are already laying the groundwork for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), viewing passenger drone corridors as both a congestion solver and a magnet for high-spending global travellers by 2035. In Kenya, officials within the tourism and aviation sectors emphasize that regulated sky-tourism corridors will elevate the country’s status as a global eco-tourism pioneer while protecting fragile ground ecosystems from vehicle overcrowding. "As global travel evolves toward 2035, Africa has a historic opportunity to leapfrog legacy transport infrastructure and embrace clean, electric aerial tourism. By developing designated low-altitude sky corridors and solar-powered landing pads across our flagship circuit—from Nairobi and the Rift Valley to the Maasai Mara and the coast—passenger flying taxis will allow visitors to experience Kenya’s breathtaking landscapes from above while dramatically reducing off-road vehicle pressure inside our reserves."— Senior Tourism & Aviation Policy Official, Kenya In South Africa, transport and tourism planners see urban and safari air-taxis as a natural extension of the country’s established aviation sector, linking international airports directly with iconic attractions such as Table Mountain, the Garden Route, Sun City, and Greater Kruger. "Passenger drone tourism represents the next frontier for African hospitality. Our regulatory roadmap toward 2035 is focused on certifying safe, low-noise eVTOL air-taxi operations that give international tourists a world-class bird’s-eye view of South Africa’s coastline, mountains, and wildlife sanctuaries—turning what used to be a three-hour highway transfer into a twenty-minute panoramic flight experience," noted a Civil Aviation & Tourism Development Representative in South Africa. Across the wider continent—from Zambia and Zimbabwe, where aerial views of Victoria Falls are already the centerpiece of visitor itineraries, to Egypt and Rwanda—tourism officials agree that early adoption of passenger air-taxis will position Africa at the forefront of luxury experiential travel. New Horizons for Safari Resorts and Aviation Infrastructure The shift toward sky-based drone tourism by 2035 is also set to reshape hospitality infrastructure across the continent: Solar-Powered Safari "Vertiports": Five-star game lodges, coastal resorts, and national park gateways are beginning to plan compact, off-grid solar landing and charging pads capable of turning around electric passenger drones in under 20 minutes. Fleet Upgrades for Tour Operators: Major African destination management companies (DMCs) and charter aviation firms are looking to transition from high-maintenance piston and turbine bush aircraft to lower-operating-cost eVTOL passenger fleets tailored for 30- to 90-mile sightseeing hops. Zero-Footprint Conservation Access: Because passenger drones require no runways and produce zero tailpipe emissions, remote ecosystems—from lush rainforest canopies in Central Africa to desert dunes in Namibia—can welcome visitors from the air without bulldozing roads through pristine habitats. Conclusion: A New Vantage Point for African Travel Just as the open-top 4x4 Land Cruiser and the hot-air balloon defined the first century of African safaris, the electric flying taxi is poised to define the next. By 2035, experiencing Africa from the sky will no longer be a rare luxury reserved for big-budget film crews—it will be an accessible, whisper-quiet, and sustainable centerpiece of the continent’s tourism offering. For destinations like Kenya and South Africa, embracing passenger drone tourism will not only give travellers an unforgettable top-down perspective of the world’s greatest natural wonders, but also ensure that those wonders remain unspoiled on the ground for generations to come.

Business Outlook

East Africa Rail Freight: Boosting Regional Trade & Port Efficiency

East Africa's strategic position as a trade gateway is underpinned by robust logistics infrastructure, crucial for connecting global markets with the continent's rapidly expanding economies. The region's ports and inland transport networks are vital B2B arteries, facilitating the efficient flow of goods across multiple nations. Enhancing these corridors is paramount for reducing trade costs, improving supply chain reliability, and unlocking the full economic potential of landlocked countries. The Port of Mombasa, a cornerstone of East African trade, is continuously evolving its operational capabilities to meet growing demand. A significant development in this evolution is the introduction of dedicated block train services connecting the port directly to inland container depots, such as the one at Embakasi. This strategic initiative, exemplified by collaborations between entities like Kenya Railways, Kenya Ports Authority, and global shipping lines such as CMA CGM, marks a pivotal shift towards more integrated and efficient maritime-to-rail freight solutions. These services are designed to streamline the movement of containerized cargo, directly impacting the speed and reliability of B2B supply chains across the region. Did You Know?Mombasa Port handles approximately 2.1 million TEUs annually, serving as a critical gateway for Kenya and landlocked countries like Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new block train service directly addresses inefficiencies in container flow for these vital trade routes. Enhancing Corridor Efficiency & Regional Connectivity The block train model represents a significant advancement over traditional mixed-freight rail services. By consolidating common cargo from a single carrier into a dedicated train, it eliminates the need for multiple sorting processes at intermediate points, which historically extended dwell times and increased operational complexities. For global shipping lines, this translates into greater control over the inland leg of their logistics operations, ensuring faster transit and more predictable delivery schedules. This enhanced efficiency is particularly critical for cargo destined for landlocked markets, where every hour saved in transit contributes to a competitive advantage. The block train model specifically addresses a significant inefficiency in Mombasa’s container flow, enabling direct transfer from vessel to rail and reducing handling at inland depots. This streamlined approach is crucial for carriers aiming to offer competitive delivery times for transit cargo destined for landlocked markets, where supply chain reliability directly impacts business competitiveness. Beyond the immediate benefits to the Mombasa-Nairobi corridor, these rail freight improvements have a ripple effect across the wider East African logistics network. The integrated rail and road links extend connectivity to key regional markets including Uganda, South Sudan, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This expanded reach facilitates greater intra-African trade and strengthens the position of Mombasa as a premier gateway for both imports and exports. The ability to move goods more swiftly and reliably across borders supports regional economic integration and fosters a more robust trading environment. Strategic Investments & Future Outlook for East African Logistics The commitment to enhancing East Africa's logistics infrastructure is evident through ongoing investments by key stakeholders. The Kenya Ports Authority has made substantial capital outlays in rail-linked capacity, including new berths and container yards designed to optimize the transfer of cargo from ships to trains. Concurrently, the implementation of advanced cargo declaration systems allows for pre-arrival documentation processing, further accelerating clearance times. These coordinated efforts by port authorities and railway operators are foundational to building a resilient and high-capacity logistics ecosystem capable of supporting future trade growth. For international suppliers and African importers, these developments signal a more predictable and cost-effective supply chain landscape. The invitation extended by Kenya Railways to importers, exporters, and shipping lines to explore dedicated rail freight solutions underscores a proactive approach to fostering partnerships that support robust supply chains and regional trade ambitions. As Africa continues its economic ascent, the optimization of its trade corridors through strategic infrastructure development and collaborative operational models will be key to unlocking new B2B opportunities across diverse sectors. Businesses looking to capitalize on East Africa’s burgeoning markets should closely monitor these logistics advancements. Understanding the evolving freight landscape can inform strategic decisions for market entry, distribution, and supply chain management. For a comprehensive overview of key players and trade opportunities, explore our African Importers Directory and connect with established partners. To stay abreast of the latest market trends and connect with a vast network of industry professionals, consider joining our Africa B2B WhatsApp Trade Groups. These platforms offer invaluable insights and direct connections, empowering global businesses to navigate and succeed within the dynamic East African trade environment.

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