Africa’s Eden, an association dedicated to promoting sustainable travel within Southern Africa, has partnered with Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) Global Tourism and Destination Advisory practice and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to evaluate four of the region’s nations as competitive global tourism destinations.
Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe will be benchmarked using the Tourism Readiness Index, which has examined 200 global destinations. The index comprises 70 data points, including:
- Infrastructure development;
- Environmental sustainability;
- Safety and security, and;
- Policy prioritisation.
One of the objectives of the project is to identify areas of opportunity for investment that will lead to the development and establishment of long-term sustainability for the region’s tourism sector. The project’s findings are also aimed at providing “insights that both the public and private sectors can use to enhance the region’s tourism offerings and competitiveness on the global stage”, according to a media release published on Big Ambitions’ portal.
JLL’s Head of Tourism Advisory for MEA, Bernadine Galliver, reveals that the index was developed following two years of research and analysis by JLL’s Global Tourism and Destination Advisory practice and WTTC, which focuses on resilience and sustainability, moving beyond traditional rankings: “The index identifies common readiness traits across destination types and provides a roadmap for sustainable tourism growth.”
Jillian Blackbeard, CEO of Africa’s Eden, explains that the project will be a collaborative effort between governments and private sector stakeholders. It is hoped that the data will shape policy, guide infrastructure investments, and create an enabling environment for tourism growth in the four countries.
“Tourism is one of the most vital economic drivers for our member countries. This initiative is not only about evaluating where we are now, but about creating a roadmap for how we can grow and evolve to meet the needs of future travellers. By collaborating with JLL and WTTC, we are bringing international expertise to strengthen our local tourism industry and attract both regional and global investments,” says Jillian.
A comprehensive analysis
The Tourism Readiness Index will offer governments a comprehensive analysis of the tourism sector’s performance, pinpointing areas for improvement. It will spotlight critical aspects such as transportation infrastructure, visa policies, and conservation initiatives. This, in turn, will enable governments to take actions that support their goals for sustainable development and tourism growth.
Private sector businesses and organisations can also utilise this data to better understand market demand, improve their tourism offerings, and identify new collaboration and growth prospects.
“To remain competitive in an evolving tourism landscape, destinations need to address critical gaps in infrastructure, connectivity, and sustainability. The Tourism Readiness Index is designed to help countries take a more data-driven approach to tourism development, ensuring they are well-prepared to meet future tourism demand and attract sustainable investments,” says Jillian.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, highlights that the joint research-based index is designed to facilitate critical conversations between stakeholders. She also emphasises the potential of Africa’s travel industry: “Our recent report on unlocking tourism growth for Africa showed that tourism’s economic contribution to the continent could increase by an additional US$50 billion by 2033 through improvements to the enabling environment, visa policies and destination marketing.”
Expressing her confidence in what the project can achieve, Jillian concludes: “We will leverage the insights from the index to not only enhance our members’ competitiveness but advocate for long-term, sustainable tourism development across the region.”
NOTE: The Tourism Readiness Index is expected to be completed by mid-2025. A report will then be distributed to government officials, tourism associations, and business leaders, followed by a series of regional webinars and workshops to present the findings and discuss the next steps.
