ICYMI: Diaspora Travel in Africa (ATA × The Travel Hub Collection)

ATA CEO Naledi K. Khabo recently presented Diaspora Travel in Africa to travel advisors from more than 32 countries through The Travel Hub Collection. The one-hour webinar covered the global Black travel market, diaspora traveller segmentation, destination intelligence across all African regions, and practical strategies for advisors ready to build this market into their portfolio.

Click here to view the recording.

What was covered:

Who we're talking about. 

Diaspora travel is not one market. We covered the three overlapping audiences with distinct motivations and advisor opportunities. The traditional diaspora traveller is going home; the ticket is already booked and your value is the itinerary you build around the visit. The global Black traveller chooses Africa as a cultural and aspirational destination, not necessarily a homeland. And the North American and European diaspora, the highest-spending, most underserved segment representing the largest immediate opportunity for trade professionals.

The numbers. 

The global Black travel market was worth $159.5 billion in 2019. US Black leisure travellers alone spent $145 billion in 2023, a 33% increase from 2019 (Source: Black Travel Alliance/MMGY). This market over-indexes on premium spend: 87% of Black travellers express willingness to pay for upgrades.

Beyond the safari. 

While safari is a key experience segment, it's important to look beyond in other ways traveller can be drawn to the continent. Black travellers want what every premium traveller wants - music tourism, culinary experiences, sports events, luxury accommodation, fashion weeks, art fairs, and entertainment. Events such as AFCON 2027, the Basketball Africa League, Detty December, Afrofuture are driving diaspora travel decisions right now.

How to win this market. 

Know your sub-segment before you sell. Stop defaulting to safari. Build community credibility by showing up authentically in Black travel spaces. Partner with Black-owned DMCs and local operators.

Watch the full recording.The complete 45-minute session is available now on The Travel Hub Collection platform.

Watch the webinar.