Rodney Malindi Sikumba, Zambia’s Minister of Tourism, addressed the media at the Minister Press Conference during Africa’s Travel INDABA 2025. The minister highlighted some of the most pressing issues and transformative solutions facing African tourism. From visa liberalisation and air connectivity to youth training and intra-African travel, Sikumba’s message was clear: It is time for Africa to modernise and unite around common goals for tourism growth.
Visa Liberalisation: Zambia Sets the Pace
One of the most concrete actions taken by Zambia’s government since taking office has been to overhaul its visa policy. Minister Sikumba shared a remarkable statistic:
“When we moved into the office, we only had 52 countries that didn’t require a visa to enter Zambia. Two years later, that number is now 167 countries, including all of Europe and China.”
This dramatic shift reflects Zambia’s commitment to becoming a more accessible tourism destination and promoting easier movement across borders. Visa-free or visa-on-arrival policies are critical to building confidence among tourists and business travellers alike.
Air Connectivity: Regional Hubs Over Reinvention
On air connectivity, Sikumba urged African nations to focus on collaboration rather than duplication: “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Africa already has existing air hubs—OR Tambo (South Africa), Jomo Kenyatta (Kenya), and Bole (Ethiopia). Let’s strengthen these instead of building more hubs.”
The minister criticised the idea of maintaining inefficient, state-run airlines that operate at a loss under the guise of national pride.
“We can’t keep running ego-driven flag carriers that bleed taxpayers’ money. Governments should enable businesses not to be in business. We need to let the private sector run the airlines.”
The message was pointed: African governments must liberalise air routes, open skies, and support private enterprise if the continent hopes to compete in global travel markets.
Digital Transformation: Modern Tools for Modern Times
Sikumba emphasized that tourism infrastructure must be digitized to remain globally competitive:
“Commerce today must be digitized. We can’t keep pushing paper—it’s outdated.”
This includes everything from e-visa systems to online tourism services and better use of digital platforms for communication and bookings. Zambia is embracing this future by embedding digital solutions into its tourism and visa administration systems.
Hospitality Education: A Curriculum for Africa’s Youth
With Africa’s youth population projected to remain the youngest globally, Sikumba stressed that the continent must invest in hospitality training to support the growing industry.
“We’ve embedded hospitality into Zambia’s school curriculum—from early childhood education all the way up. If a child wants to become a hotelier, they now have a clear path.”
This mindset shift is critical in reshaping cultural attitudes toward tourism jobs, which have often been undervalued.
“In the past, parents only wanted their kids to become lawyers or doctors. But today, if my daughter wants to be a ballerina I’ll buy her the costume. We must support passion-based careers.”
Sikumba also pointed out the urgent need for skilled workers to meet growing tourist demand. Even the best tourism campaigns and infrastructure won’t translate into a successful visitor experience without trained personnel.
Intra-African Tourism: A Mindset Shift is Needed
Sikumba passionately called for Africans to explore their own continent, lamenting that internal barriers and colonial-era mindsets continue to divide the continent.
“The real cancer in African tourism is that we don’t travel within our own continent. Why? Because of mental borders drawn by others long ago.”
He challenged the audience to change the narrative:
“We eat the same food, drink the same drinks—and get drunk the same! We’re one people. In the next ten years, this issue of intra-African travel will be gone from our agenda.”
A Pro-Private Sector Approach
Throughout his remarks, Sikumba returned to a central theme: government should facilitate, not operate, business. By empowering the private sector, liberalizing policies, and training youth, African tourism can achieve its full potential.
“Let it be known today and forever: governments have no business doing business. Our role is to create the environment for businesses to thrive.”
Looking Ahead: Angola Summit and Bite-Sized Reforms
Sikumba concluded by pointing to the upcoming July 2025 Angola Summit, where African tourism and transport ministers will convene to address these structural issues.
“At the summit, we’ll take on these challenges—two issues at a time, bite-sized. That’s how governments make real change.”
The future of African tourism lies in its youth, collaboration, and the removal of man-made borders, physical, economic, and mental.
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