African air travel spend is expected to rise 24 per cent with the introduction of the pan-African passport in 2018, according to a study from travel technology provider Sabre.
The new passport will enable African travellers to visit other countries on the continent without a visa.
The study, which surveyed travellers from South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt, found they would spend up to $1,500 more with the introduction of the passport.
However, it showed despite a willingness among travellers to spend more on flights, travel in Africa still remains inaccessible to the majority, with only 23 per cent of those surveyed having travelled abroad at all in the last two years. When asked what prevents them from travelling more, the top reasons were:
- 32% said travel is too expensive
- 31% said it is difficult obtaining VISAs
- 30% said it is too difficult to book travel
- 28% said there are no flights to their chosen destination
Travellers also expressed a number of gripes about their current experiences when travelling:
- 27% said the check-in process takes too long
- 22% said the check-in procedure is confusing
- 20% don’t like the food on aircrafts
- 19% think there is not enough to do at the airport
“The results suggest that while travel is inaccessible to many and is difficult for those that do travel, there is a still a strong desire to travel more,” said Dino Gelmetti, vice president, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Airline Solutions, Sabre. “Additionally, most of the pain points can be addressed by airlines, and these tweaks could make all the difference to travellers.”
The study surveyed 1,600 people from four African countries between September and November that had travelled by air in the past 24 months.