Africa Outbound Travel Spending Set to Reach $30.4B
Skift Advisory research projects African outbound tourism spending will climb sharply by 2030, led by Nigeria.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Africa
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Skift Advisory research, commissioned by Millat Group, forecasts African outbound tourism spending will reach US$30.4 billion by 2030. Outbound trips from Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are projected to rise from 13.3 million in 2025 to 17.7 million.
Why it matters
The projections point to a rapidly expanding base of African travellers, which could reshape demand for international destinations and carriers. The study also highlights constraints such as limited intra-African direct flights.
Outbound trips are projected to reach 17.7 million by 2030 and 19.4 million by 2035, up from 13.3 million in 2025. Only about 19% of intra-African routes offer direct flights, and departing passengers pay average taxes and charges of US$68.
The players
Skift Advisory
Skift Advisory is the research arm of Skift, a travel industry intelligence company known for market analysis and forecasting.
Millat Group
Millat Group is the company that commissioned the study on African outbound travel demand.
The details
The research surveyed potential travellers across 14 international source markets and drew on more than 14,000 consumer responses, travel modelling, aviation analysis and interviews. It was presented at the World Travel Market in London, and African carriers generated US$0.90 in profit per passenger during 2024.
Timeline
2024: African carriers generated US$0.90 profit per passenger.
2025: Baseline of 13.3 million outbound trips from the five markets.
2030: Outbound spending projected to reach US$30.4 billion.
2035: Outbound trips forecast to reach 19.4 million.
Travel Outlook
The forecast extends Skift Advisory's outbound travel research into African source markets, which have been less studied than European and Asian outbound flows. Growth in outbound spending is projected alongside persistent gaps in intra-African air connectivity.
Travellers from the five studied markets may see more options for international trips as outbound demand grows. Limited direct intra-African flights mean routes between neighbouring countries often require connections.
The takeaway
Growing African outbound demand is forecast to create significant spending power, but connectivity gaps remain a key constraint. Travellers planning regional trips should expect connections and factor in departure taxes when budgeting.
Further reading
For broader context on regional trips and routes, explore Africa travel destinations.
Source note: This article includes information reported by TravelDailyNews International.
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