Africa’s Tourism Sector Faces Hurdles in Adopting Digital Technology

Africa’s tourism sector is struggling to keep pace with digital transformation, industry leaders warned at the Africa TravelTech Summit and Expo 2025 in Nairobi.

Held over two days at the Argyle Grand Hotel near Nairobi Airport, the summit brought together tourism professionals, technology innovators, and policymakers to examine how digital tools can support the continent’s growing travel industry. While visitor numbers have improved since the Covid-19 pandemic, participants noted that limited digital uptake could threaten the sector’s long-term competitiveness.

Sherif Riad, Global Commercial Director at Tourmind, stressed the need to support tourism operators, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in adopting digital systems. 

“We need targeted awareness efforts so operators can fully harness the benefits of digital transformation,” he said.

A recurring theme at the summit was the disconnect between global travel technologies and the realities of African markets. Ben Peterson, CEO of Purple Elephant Ventures, noted that many existing solutions are designed for Western contexts and often fail to address local challenges. 

“Tourism technology can help bring more visitors into the region and also streamline how tourism organisations operate,” Peterson said. “But most of the tools in the market were built for other regions and don’t always fit our local realities.”

Although African startups have attracted more than $12 billion in venture capital over the past five years, only a small share of that investment has gone to travel-focused technology. Peterson described this as a missed opportunity and called for more targeted funding. 

He also pointed to low levels of digital literacy as a major obstacle, arguing that technology must be both accessible and easy to use if it is to reach a wider base of tourism operators. The event also saw the launch of the Africa Traveltech Association, aimed at strengthening collaboration between technology developers and tourism stakeholders. 

Exhibitors presented a range of innovations, including mobile booking applications and AI-driven customer service tools. Panel sessions addressed key topics such as sustainable tourism, data analytics, and the use of virtual reality in enhancing visitor experiences.

Speakers throughout the summit emphasised that digital transformation must be inclusive and grounded in local realities.