A Push for Domestic Tourism to Become Successful across the Continent

Many across the continent still see travel as something done overseas. “We are programmed to think that the west is the pinnacle of beauty, and that we have to go to Dubai if we want to shop,” says Mimi Aborowa, the globetrotting founder of Lagos-based travel magazine Ìrìn Journal. Historical ties to Europe have helped keep interest there and off the continent. “The Portuguese colonies go to Portugal, the Francophones go to France, and the Anglos go to England,” says Ntshona. “We need to divert that traffic and keep it on the continent.” Yet, it seems there is a budding generational shift. Cherae Robinson, whose experiential travel platform Tastemakers Africa began by servicing diaspora travelers returning to Africa, notes that the younger generations on the continent has a different point of view. Many have grown up with comparatively less conflict and more money than their parents and grandparents, and are increasingly interested in exploring their home countries. In part, this is due to the scenes coming out of culture capitals like Accra and Lagos, and the rise of influencers like Unraveling Nigeria and Dakar Lives, which showcase the faces and stories of Nigeria and Senegal respectively. Robinson said her domestic business in Ghana rose from 5 percent to 20 percent by last December.

SOURCE: CN TRAVELER