According to the latest tourism index from the World Economic Forum, African markets are showing progress in cultural resources, digital readiness, and tourism prioritization as global travel conditions reach their peak since 2019.
Various regions of the continent are demonstrating strengthening in different aspects of their tourism economy; among them, MENA stands out as one of the fastest-growing regions globally, while Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa show significant influence on the tourism-related economy.
The 2026 Tourism and Travel Development Index revealed that 101 out of 110 economies improved their scores between 2024 and 2026, with the average score increasing by 2.1%, marking the fastest growth rate since 2019.
Ramya Krishnaswamy, Head of Experiences and Cities Economy at the World Economic Forum, noted that 'the latest Tourism and Travel Development Index shows that conditions conducive to travel and tourism are at their highest level since the pandemic, with 92% of economies improving since 2024.'
Global growth is driven by enhanced cultural resources, tourism infrastructure and services, air connectivity, and business travel.
Japan remains the leader in the global ranking, followed by the USA, Spain, Australia, and France, with nine out of the top ten positions held by developed economies.
The strongest regional growth was recorded in the Asia-Pacific region, where the average indicator grew by 3.6% between 2024 and 2026. The MENA region showed growth of 2.5%, surpassing Europe and Eurasia (1.8%) and the Americas (1.6%).
Most Significant Growth
African markets demonstrated the strongest increase not across the entire continent, but in specific areas of tourism development. The World Economic Forum (WEF) defines areas of progress as Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Readiness, Tourism Prioritization, and Cultural Resources.
North Africa stands out in cultural tourism data: its 'Cultural Resources' indicator increased by 18% between 2024 and 2026, making it the second largest sub-regional growth globally after Southeast Asia (26.5%).
This growth occurs against a backdrop of increased demand for cultural and entertainment content, as search queries for sites such as historical monuments, gastronomy, museums, and festivals rose by approximately 15% over the same period.
'Cultural Resources' also became the fastest-growing pillar globally, increasing by 9.6% between 2024 and 2026, with over 95% of the 110 economies recording an improvement.
The WEF attributes this growth partly to the rising demand for cultural and entertainment events, as online searches for such attractions increased by about 15% between 2024 and 2026.
The overall 2.5% growth in MENA was supported by increased indicators in cultural resources, tourism services and infrastructure, as well as sustained demand for tourism and travel. This region's results place it among the fastest-developing tourism markets in the world.
Digital Readiness
Another area of progress in African markets is digital readiness. Globally, the ICT Readiness indicator grew by 3.2% between 2024 and 2026, with 91% of economies achieving positive changes.
Developing and emerging economies showed an improvement in ICT Readiness of 4.9%, compared to 1.6% among developed economies. The WEF assesses this indicator based on criteria such as internet usage, access to broadband internet, mobile network coverage, digital payments, and power supply reliability.
This shift is significant for the tourism business, as digital platforms increasingly influence how travelers discover destinations, book services, pay for them, and share their experiences.
Tourism is also attracting more attention from policymakers. According to WEF data, government spending on travel and tourism as a percentage of total government expenditure has increased by 7.6% since 2019.
At the sub-regional level, Southern, Eastern, and Western Africa demonstrated relatively high results in the socio-economic impact of tourism and travel. This success has been achieved despite persistent weaknesses in areas such as healthcare and hygiene, tourism infrastructure, air transport, and non-tourism resources.
This indicator reflects tourism's contribution to employment and the broader economy. The WEF index for 2024 showed that the African region, covered by its regional classification, has the highest regional score for this indicator.
The 2024 index also established that tourism generated more than 21% more jobs per direct tourism position in the region compared to the TTDI average. Over 43% of the workforce in the tourism sector is employed in relatively high-wage segments.
Natural resources represent another opportunity for African destinations. The global 'Natural Resources' indicator increased by 4.1% between 2024 and 2026, with 96% of economies improving their ratings.
The WEF considers ecotourism a growth opportunity for developing and emerging economies, as it allows tourism activity to spread beyond major urban centers and into rural areas.
The broader tourism market is expanding parallel to these improvements. International tourist arrivals reached 1.5 billion in 2025, which is 5% more than in 2024 and 4.4% higher than the 2019 level, with the strongest growth noted in the Middle East and Africa.
In 2025, tourism and travel contributed a global economic value of $11.6 trillion, which is 4.1% more than the previous year and 8.7% higher than the 2019 level. The sector supported 366 million jobs worldwide.
Infrastructure Improvement
Tourism infrastructure is also undergoing refinement. The 'Tourism Services and Infrastructure' indicator grew by 9.2% globally between 2024 and 2026, while 'Air Transport Infrastructure' increased by 7.2%, with over 90% of economies improving their scores in both pillars.
Concurrently, air capacity expanded: the number of available domestic and international seat kilometers increased by 18.7%. Airport connectivity grew by 8.5% during this period.
These achievements come amid growing pressure on the tourism business and destinations. Between 2024 and 2026, travel became less affordable in three out of four economies, and tourism investments failed to keep pace with growing demand in several markets.
Labor shortages are becoming a constraint to growth. The WEF found that benefits reaching local communities weakened during this period, indicating that an increase in visitors does not automatically lead to improved livelihoods or better job quality.
Nevertheless, developing tourism economies are closing some of the gap with established markets. Since 2019, the largest developing economies have improved their TTDI scores more than twice as fast as the Top 20 economies.
Kara Morton, Chief Global Business and Operations Officer at Zurich Insurance Group, stated: 'Tourism is a vital part of the global economy, and TTDI clearly shows that resilience maintains this value amidst changing conditions.'