19 Mar Next-Gen Travel Takes Center Stage at WiT Africa 2025
The Web in Travel (WiT) Africa summit is a premier event dedicated to exploring innovation, technology, and business models shaping the future of travel across the continent. Founded by seasoned travel industry journalist and entrepreneur Siew Hoon Yeoh, WiT has been at the forefront of digital transformation in travel since its inception. Over the past two decades, it has built a reputation for curating insightful discussions, connecting global and local industry players, and providing a platform for disruptive ideas that redefine the way people explore the world.
The WiT Africa 2025: Next Generation summit at Innovation City Cape Town was a landmark event that underscored Africa’s burgeoning travel industry. Marking WiT’s 20th anniversary, the conference brought together global thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors to explore the future of travel, hospitality, and tourism tech on the continent.
Setting the Stage for Africa’s Travel Evolution
Siew Hoon Yeoh and stephan ekbergh, CEO of Travelstart, set an optimistic tone in the opening session: Drawing comparisons between Asia’s rapid online travel growth and Africa’s potential, they highlighted the importance of innovation, data-driven insights, and social responsibility initiatives. Visualisations from the Wego.com Data team showcased Africa’s growing digital travel economy, reinforcing the region’s readiness for transformation.
Visualisations from Wego Data team showcasing Africa’s growing digital travel economy
Gidon Novick’s Entrepreneurial Journey
In an engaging conversation, Gidon Novick shared his transition from pioneering South Africa’s low-cost airline model to leading Lucid Ventures. He emphasised the importance of strategic partnerships, customer-centric services, and the rising focus on longevity in hospitality. His insights on travel and wellness underscored the intersection between business success and consumer experience.
Leapfrogging into the Next Generation of Travel
Albert Fernando (Travel Wings), Andy Hedley (Travelstart), and Bayo Adedeji (Wakanow) dissected Africa’s $30-39 billion travel market. The panel tackled major barriers such as high intra-African travel costs, fragmented hotel distribution, and varied payment ecosystems. Adedeji’s call for documenting unique African business philosophies resonated as a crucial step toward attracting global investors.
Back to the Future: The Role of AI and Digital Identity
Lisa Katsouraki and Timothy O’Neil-Dunne explored AI’s disruptive potential in travel, predicting a shift from keyword searches to conversational AI interfaces. They discussed how digital identities are reshaping airport experiences and speculated on smart glasses replacing smartphones. Innovations like REGENT‘s SeaGlider and drone deliveries hint at the future of mobility in Africa.
Spotlight on Rwanda: A Model for Sustainable Tourism
Rwanda’s remarkable tourism strategy took center stage, with insights from Stephan Ekbergh, James Bailes (Singita), and Fouad Caunhye (RwandAir). The discussion highlighted high-value, low-impact tourism models, strategic airline expansions, and Rwanda’s integration of technology in aviation and conservation. Kigali’s rise as a cultural and business hub solidified its position as a leader in African tourism.
The Next Generation of Travel Loyalty Programs
Industry leaders from Travelstart, Investec, and Discovery Vitality debated the future of travel rewards. Dinesh Govender, CEO of Discovery Vitality shared insights on how their loyalty programme adapted during COVID-19, partnering with Woolworths and investing in airport experiences to enhance customer engagement. Mike McGearty’s insights on loyalty-linked transactions and Paolo Giuricich’s showcase of Investec’s ‘Entrance’ product emphasised the increasing synergy between finance and travel. AI-driven personalisation emerged as a crucial element in retaining high-value customers.
Global OTAs and Africa’s Travel Playbook
Tara Colpitts (Expedia), Alberto Yates (Booking.com), and Ross Veitch (Wego) outlined strategies for capturing Africa’s young, mobile-first market. Emerging trends included the role of AI-powered chatbots, the rising influence of content marketing on destination selection, and the growing preference for vacation rentals. North Africa and cities like Nairobi and Cape Town were identified as top-performing destinations.
The New Age of Hospitality, Travel & Tech
Chris Hemmeter, Managing Director of Thayer Ventures, provided a roadmap for AI adoption in travel. He highlighted how AI is revolutionising discovery, personalisation, and agency within the industry. Startups leveraging structured data and AI-driven visibility are well-positioned for success in the evolving market.
Social Media Trends and the Gen Z Influence
Stanislaus MARTINS, formerly of Meta and now at Aleph, detailed how Africa’s mobile-first audience is reshaping marketing. With Gen Z driving digital engagement, social commerce and AI-enhanced advertising strategies are key. Live shopping and conversational commerce are emerging as vital tools for brand growth.
Search, Social & Commerce in the Travel Ecosystem
A panel featuring Natalia Rosa (Big Ambitions), Naomi Ekberg (Travelstart), and Enver Duminy (Cape Town Tourism) explored the transition from traditional SEO to social-driven travel searches. Ekberg emphasized how Travelstart leveraged user-generated content and ultra-short videos to drive engagement. Duminy highlighted Cape Town Tourism’s gamified ‘Find Your Freedom’ campaign as a model for engaging younger travelers. Rosa underscored the importance of maintaining a human element in AI-driven marketing; AI’s role in hyper-personalisation and influencer marketing strategies were key discussion points.
The Evolution of Next-Gen Luxury Travel
Luxury travel experts, including Philippe Kjellgren (PK’s List) and Maija de Rijk-Uys (Go2Africa), discussed the changing face of high-end travel. With ultra-affluent travelers seeking unique, immersive experiences, Africa’s premium safaris and exclusive retreats are gaining global recognition. Sustainability remains at the core of luxury tourism’s future.
The Experience Economy and Airbnb’s Vision
Velma Corcoran of Airbnb emphasised the rise of travel experiences over material goods. Highlighting the power of nostalgia-driven travel, she noted how Airbnb’s ‘Icons’ initiative aligns with Gen Z’s preference for unique, interactive stays. Community-driven tourism was identified as a major growth area.
Payments in the New Age: Overcoming Africa’s Challenges
Paulina Klotzbücher (Glyde Payments) and Mbali Mngomezulu (MasterCard) tackled the fragmented African payments landscape. Innovations like virtual cards for SMEs and tiered wholesale programs are helping businesses navigate cross-border transactions. The panel stressed the need for localised, cost-effective payment solutions.
Africa’s Tourism Startup Scene: The Next Big Opportunity
Ben Peterson of Purple Elephant Ventures presented data revealing the underinvestment in Africa’s tourism tech sector. Despite contributing 7% to GDP, the industry receives only 1.54% of startup funding. His venture studio model is working to bridge this gap by launching scalable, investable tourism tech startups.
Investing in the Next Generation of Startups
Zachariah George (Launch Africa Ventures) and Michael Joubert (iXperience) highlighted Africa’s $5 billion annual VC landscape. They stressed the importance of corporate venture capital, sector-specific investment approaches, and overcoming foreign investor biases.
Flying High in the Next Generation
Timothy O’Neil-Dunne (T2Impact), Liezl Gericke (Virgin Atlantic), and Kirby Gordon (FlySafair) discussed gender diversity, sustainability, and affordability in air travel. The need for biometric technology, streamlined airport processes, and tailored regional strategies were key takeaways.
The Grand Finale: Beauty in the Wild
Renowned photographer Kristian Schmidtclosed the summit with a visually stunning conversation with Stephan Ekbergh. His incredible work with WildAid and groundbreaking underwater shoots underscored the power of storytelling in travel and environmental advocacy.
Looking Ahead
As WiT Africa 2025 concluded, the focus shifted to the next steps in Africa’s travel evolution. With AI, digital identity, sustainable tourism, and localised strategies shaping the industry, the future of African travel is poised for unprecedented growth. Cape Town’s role as a hub for global travel innovation has been solidified, setting the stage for continued advancements in the years to come.
WiT’s 2026 theme, ‘The Next 20,’ will continue the momentum, exploring how the industry will evolve over the next two decades. Stay tuned for updates and insights from WiT here.
Download pictures from the event here.