By Shaikha Al Nowais
When it comes to the tourism industry, Sub-Saharan Africa’s youth population should be seen as one of the continent’s greatest strengths. With 70% under the age of 30, there is a generational opportunity to drive a new kind of industry. One that promotes local values, inclusive growth, climate action, and solidifies a new voice for the continent in the global arena.
Tourism is one of the world’s great equalizers—at least in theory. It promises cultural exchange, economic opportunity, and shared experience across borders. But as the industry begins another peak season, we must ask: who is writing the script? And who is being left out of the frame?
This May, the UN will be asking these questions when they elect their new Secretary General for Tourism. This role leads the global agenda—shaping policy, mobilizing funding, and determining which voices set the direction for one of the world’s most impactful industries. It’s time for a forward-looking voice that prioritizes South-South cooperation, understands the youth perspective and works with partners in the region to build inclusive tourism systems.
First, it’s time to decenter the industry and put local African innovation first. For too long, a handful of institutions, destinations, and gatekeepers have shaped the agenda. The Global South—home to some of the most culturally and ecologically rich regions on Earth—needs more than a seat at the table. It needs co-authorship of the industry’s future.
That begins with elevating tourism ministries from underrepresented regions, investing in rural and Indigenous-led tourism, and redirecting capital toward sustainable infrastructure where it’s needed most. Across Africa, we are already seeing steps to showcase and support the next wave of entrepreneurs. The EU’s Spaces of Culture 2025 is a programme aimed at collaboration between Sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Projects like this can lead to further travel to the region and opportunities for cultural industries to drive economic growth in many countries. It’s about strategic storytelling and creating cultural ecosystems that bring responsible tourism and deepen local impact.
Second, we must modernize. Africa’s technological landscape has experienced significant growth in recent years, marked by increased internet penetration, mobile connectivity, and startup investments. Technology should not be a luxury. AI, data analytics, and smart mobile platforms must be used to personalize travel, optimize flows, and make tourism more equitable. Small and medium-sized operators need access to the same digital infrastructure and training as global brands. Africa’s young population are digital leaders who have grown up connected like no generation before. This represents an opportunity to incorporate new tech, create jobs, and turn connectivity into shared prosperity.
Finally, we must lead with local values. Regeneration—not just recovery—should be the industry’s North Star. That means embedding sustainability into procurement systems, incentivizing eco-design, and measuring success not just by arrival counts, but by community well-being and environmental stewardship. Examples like TUI Group, who are partnering with local organizations to develop investment projects in socially sustainable ways, should be the norm. When tourism is aligned with local values, it becomes built on resilience.
This UN election is more than a leadership choice—it’s a chance to decide the kind of tourism future Africans want. The question is not whether tourism will grow—it will. The question is: will there be a system that is inclusive, resilient, and climate-aligned with the next generations or will we simply expand the old model, with all its embedded inequities?
Tourism can do more than generate jobs and revenue—it can empower communities, strengthen climate action, and elevate African voices on the global stage. It’s time for the continent not just to participate in the tourism economy, but to lead it—on its own terms.
To compete and lead in this new era, that must change. Africa is not just a destination—it is a driver of tourism’s future. I believe we can make it inclusive, climate-aligned and fit-for-purpose for our new global era.
Shaikha Al Nowais is the UAE’s candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
