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The Africa Tourism Investment Conference (ATIC), a flagship event of World Travel Market (WTM) Africa 2025, will convene government officials, investors, and industry leaders on April 10, 2025, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
Organized in partnership with global real estate firm JLL, the one-day summit seeks to accelerate sustainable tourism development across the continent by bridging gaps between project developers and financiers.
“Africa’s tourism sector isn’t just recovering—it’s reimagining itself,” said Olivia Gradidge, Marketing Manager at WTM Africa & ILTM Africa. “ATIC is where vision meets action. We’re curating spaces for deals that prioritize both profit and purpose, from eco-lodges to community-driven cultural hubs.”
The conference arrives as Africa’s travel industry rebounds from pandemic-era losses, with international arrivals to the continent surging by 34% in 2024, according to preliminary UN Tourism data. Yet challenges persist: inadequate infrastructure, fragmented policies, and limited access to capital continue to hinder growth. ATIC’s agenda aims to address these barriers through panel discussions on destination development, case studies from successful investors, and networking sessions linking entrepreneurs with institutional backers.
A key focus this year is blending sustainability with scalability. JLL, the event’s strategic partner, will leverage its hospitality expertise to highlight projects that merge tourism with real estate ventures, such as mixed-use developments near national parks or transit-oriented hotels along emerging trade corridors. “Tourism isn’t a standalone sector—it’s a catalyst for broader economic transformation,” noted Wayne Godwin, CEO of JLL Africa. “Think airports spurring commercial hubs or safari lodges incentivizing wildlife conservation. That’s the multiplier effect we’re championing.”
While luxury travel remains a draw, organizers stress the rising demand for inclusive models. Gradidge pointed to growing investor interest in initiatives that empower local communities, such as Kenya’s conservancy-led tourism or South Africa’s township homestay networks. “The ‘value versus values’ debate is over,” she added. “Today’s financiers want metrics on job creation and cultural preservation alongside ROI.”
Critics, however, caution against overly optimistic projections. Africa receives less than 5% of global tourism investment despite holding 17% of the world’s population, and bureaucratic hurdles often delay projects. To counter this, ATIC will host closed-door meetings between developers and policymakers to fast-track approvals for high-impact ventures.
Early bird registration for the conference is priced at R1,500 (excluding VAT), with access to WTM Africa’s exhibition floor—a sprawling showcase of destinations, tech startups, and hospitality brands—included in the ticket.
As climate pressures mount and global travelers demand ethical itineraries, Africa’s ability to attract conscious capital could redefine its tourism narrative. Yet success hinges on transparency: ensuring investments uplift grassroots economies rather than extract from them. If ATIC 2025 can balance these scales, it may script a blueprint for equitable growth in one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
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