Expert panel launched to accelerate Africa's tourism and travel

Maasai Moran dances to celebrate the reopening of the pride-inn Mara camp that was destroyed by floods in May after river Talek broke its banks. [George Sayagie, Standard]

Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) has announced the launch of the Global Expert Panel on Tourism and Travel for Africa.

The launch was led by its member agency, the Newmark Group, a strategic communications and advisory firm headquartered in Nairobi.

This pioneering initiative brings together top communications and marketing experts and leaders from across the world to arm tourism and destination management organizations with deep local insights and data from source countries.

It underscores the importance of understanding cultural nuances to significantly enhance the market presence and reimagine Africa’s tourism narrative globally.

Tourism and travel in Africa have experienced impressive growth since the start of the millennium, as highlighted by a World Travel & Tourism Council report.

In 2022, the sector contributed nearly 6 percent to Africa’s GDP, playing a vital role in economic stability and supporting 22 million jobs across the continent.

Amid this backdrop, the establishment of PRGN’s Global Expert Panel in tandem with The Newmark Group is essential for leveraging Africa’s tourism potential for sustainable development and inclusive growth.

“To elevate Africa’s tourism sector, destination marketers must harness global capabilities and adopt a holistic approach to branding and marketing. PRGN provides unparalleled global resources and local expertise, delivering a unique insight to meet new needs and thus capture market shares,” said PRGN President Natacha Clarac.

Gilbert Manirakiza, CEO of the Newmark Group and Co-Chair of PRGN’s Global Expert Panel, said data and analyses that their team has carried out indicate that many African destinations significantly suffer from negative perceptions among target audiences abroad, mainly due to historically negative headlines in global media.