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Experts seek improved African air connectivity

Xinhua, October 5, 2016 Adjust font size:

Developing aviation industry in Africa holds the key to the continent's economic prosperity through improved air transport systems, business, leisure and tourism, aviation experts say.

Speaking at the AviaDev Africa conference that opened on Tuesday alongside Africa Hotel Investment Forum in Rwandan capital Kigali, air transport system experts emphasized the importance of developing air connectivity across the continent for travel convenience.

The inaugural conference of the AviaDev Africa focuses on charting the way forward of the future air connectivity on the continent with a special emphasis promoting closer cooperation between the hotel and airline sectors.

"Aviation industry is crucial to the development of Africa's economy but growth has been slow due to the vastness of the continent and a lack of infrastructure. Transportation by air would seem to be the strong option for improved travel across the continent," said Sabine Reim of global management consulting firm InterVISTAS Consulting Group.

Reim noted that trade, tourism and investment opportunities on the continent have been hindered by an unconnected Africa which causes inconvenient travel schedules.

Behramjee Ghadially, Senior Manager of Route Network Planning, Arik Air, stated that improved air services in Africa will lead to increased investments in hotel and tourism industries.

"Africa cannot take off economically while its runway is incomplete. African governments need to treat aviation as a strategic asset to drive growth on the continent," he added.

African aviation currently supports 6.9 million jobs and generates more than 80 billion U.S. dollars in GDP, according to International Air Transport Association (IATA).

A study by IATA forecast that if just 12 of Africa's economies opened their skies to each another, fares would drop by up to 35 percent and an extra 5 million Africans could afford to fly. An additional 155,000 new jobs would be created and 1.3 billion U.S. dollars added to the GDP. Endit