It is with the aim of consolidating air transport in Africa that the African Union is seeking support for the establishment of low-cost airlines on the continent in order to stimulate travel within the continent.
According to Amani Abu Zeid, the Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism, “the cost of air travel on the continent remains high, partly because of the lack of liberalization of the air transport sector”.
Thus, the pan-African organization proposes “a continental tourism strategy to promote the liberalization of the aviation sector in Africa that will allow dynamic and flexible private airlines to operate in Africa to promote intra-African travel”.
Ms. Zeid was speaking on the sidelines of the first meeting of the tourism subcommittee of the specialized technical committee for transport, transcontinental and interregional infrastructure, energy and tourism.
“This continental tourism strategy should be signed by African Heads of State in mid-2019 and would subsequently be adapted in local policies by AU member countries,” she said.
According to Zeid, a competitive aviation sector will help support the tourism sector on the continent, as nearly 80% of all air traffic in Africa is provided by non-African airlines.
The continent wants to make its aviation sector dynamic by opening it up to competition, said the AU official.
