Africa looks ahead to 2016

All eyes will be on Africa as a growing tourism destination in 2016, say tour operators in the U.S. and Africa.

2015 has not been a year without challenges, as the world has been shaken by terrorism attacks in key tourism hot spots. In Africa, the tourism industry has also had to fight the lingering negative perceptions that resulted from the Ebola outbreak and has had to try to limit the damage caused by South Africa's new and stringent immigration regulations.

Now that most of these challenges have been overcome — the Ebola outbreak finally seems forgotten, and the South African government has announced a relaxation of the immigration rules — the future looks bright once again for tourism to Africa. "I feel very optimistic about the year ahead," says Onne Vegter, CEO of Wild Wings Safaris.

The following are some exciting developments for travel to Africa in 2016:

Families will once again head to Africa. Family travel to Africa plummeted in 2015 as a result of South Africa's new immigration regulations, which required all travelers under age 18 to carry an "unabridged" birth certificate. This trend will likely be reversed in 2016.

Mefi Pishori Alapat, owner and CEO of Journey to Africa, says that families will once again take their kids on safari to Africa in 2016. "Besides enjoying wildlife, parents want their kids to see how people live outside of the U.S.," he says, adding that families want to stop at local schools, visit the local tribes like the Hadzabe and Maasai and share stories with the people of the country they are visiting.

Africa in the spotlight of the LGBT sector. The International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association will hold its 33rd Annual Global Convention in Cape Town in April. This will be the first time an LGBT business conference has been held on the continent, and it is expected to firmly put Africa on the map for LGBT travelers.

"Given the negative press that often surrounds LGBT issues in Africa, we're looking forward to providing education and a positive message to the industry," says LoAnn Halden, communications director of the IGLTA.

David Ryan, founder of Rhino Africa Safaris and South African ambassador to the IGLTA, adds: "It's a huge milestone in that it will be the first IGLTA Global Convention to happen in Africa. South Africa continues to lead the way in terms of LGBT rights in Africa, and I hope that the legacy of the 2016 convention will be to encourage tourism partners and businesses to lead the change in LGBT rights across the continent."

South Africa will flourish as an adventure destination. South Africa has been recognized as the top destination for adventure travel for 2016, according to Virtuoso.

This trend has also been picked up by tour operators. Katja Quasdorf, product and marketing director for Jenman Safaris, says she has seen a clear increase in demand for self-drive holidays in South Africa from adventure travelers and families with children. She says: "Self-drives in South Africa and Namibia will be popular for travelers who like flexibility in 2016."

The depreciation of South Africa's currency is also likely to propel the destination as an affordable hot spot for U.S. travelers. Vegter explains that most countries in Southern and Eastern Africa are priced in U.S. dollars, but not so in South Africa. At just below 15 to the U.S. dollar, the rand positions South Africa as an extremely good value-for-money destination for travelers with dollars to spend.

Danny Bryer, director of sales and revenue management at Protea Hotels, agrees and explains that if the local currency remains weak against the major currencies then South Africa should continue to see a positive uplift from tourism.

According to Bryer, South Africa could also be seen as a safe destination at a time when there is a heightened sense of fear throughout the world following terror attacks. He says: "If the industry can reflect South Africa as a safe destination, we may find that we are able to attract some of the tourists who would otherwise have been visiting Europe. This image, coupled with a weak rand against other countries, could very well be used to benefit the local industry."

Botswana: a top destination for 2016. Botswana has been named the top country in the world for travelers in 2016 in Lonely Planet's "Best in Travel."

The country takes the top spot for being "a unique destination: an unusual combination of desert and delta that draws an immense concentration of wildlife." Tom Hall, a Lonely Planet contributor, says: "Botswana has remained off the radar for most people, who believe it's too expensive, too difficult to get to or doesn't cater to families. But that isn't true. Go now! Go in the green season or go in the dry season; at any time of year, this stunning country is just waiting to be explored."

Sherwin Banda, president of African Travel Inc., agrees that Botswana is a bucket list destination for 2016. He explains that the destination might have premium prices, but the experience is undoubtedly one of the best on offer. The fact that Botswana has made a serious commitment to wildlife and environmental preservation will also be an incentive for U.S. travelers, according to Banda.

Responsible travel will continue to thrive. "I want to come and visit Africa to help save the elephants." This is not an uncommon request, according to Vegter, who explains that although it might be a tad unrealistic, it's great to see that tourists want to have a positive impact where they travel. According to Vegter, there has been a marked increase in requests for responsible travel, whether this is social responsibility, community involvement or wildlife conservation.

Quasdorf agrees and says that ecofriendly and sustainable travel are in high demand, as people are becoming more aware of making a positive impact on the country they are visiting. She explains that luxury lodges have started placing a high value on sustainability like using solar power, having an eco-swimming pool and buying ingredients locally.

Conservation and community projects are not the only experiences that are in high demand with travelers. Quasdorf explains that also culinary holidays are a trend for 2016. She says: "Our eco-lodge Elephant's Eye is hosting a Food & Wine Pairing event in March 2016. Guests will learn to cook African-inspired food by a top South African chef as well as learn how to pair wine and food."

Source: Africa looks ahead to 2016