Selling Africa in 2025: A Financial Guide for Travel Agents

Antravia Destination Guide: Selling Africa in 2025

Africa is not one destination. It is 54 countries, hundreds of languages, and a spectrum of travel experiences that range from luxury safaris to cultural heritage, business travel to adventure tourism. For U.S.-based travel agents looking to expand their destination expertise, Africa remains both an opportunity and a challenge. In 2025, as demand increases and technology bridges old gaps, now is the right time to take it seriously, with the right financial structure behind you.

What the numbers say

According to the U.S. National Travel & Tourism Office, American outbound travel to Africa reached around 600,000 visitors in 2023 and is projected to grow in 2025. South Africa, Morocco, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, and Tanzania are among the most visited, with safari and heritage travel continuing to drive bookings.

But volume is only part of the story. Americans traveling to Africa tend to stay longer and spend more per day than in many other regions. According to the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA), average daily spend for U.S. visitors to East Africa is over $700 per person when including private lodges and internal flights. For South Africa, the figure is closer to $400 depending on the exchange rate.

That means higher-value trips, but also higher financial complexity for travel agents selling them.

Top seller destinations and trip types

• South Africa: Cape Town, the Winelands, and Kruger National Park remain popular. Self-drive itineraries and multi-city combos are increasingly common.

• Kenya and Tanzania: The classic safari circuit, including the Maasai Mara and Serengeti, with options for fly-in safaris, bush flights, and extensions to Zanzibar.

• Morocco: Strong for both FIT and group travel, especially with cultural tours and desert experiences.

• Egypt: Continued popularity for Nile cruises, pyramids, and package tours, especially among older travelers.

• Ghana: Heritage tourism is growing among African American travelers, often tied to “Year of Return” initiatives.

• Rwanda: A rising luxury market with interest in gorilla trekking, conservation-focused travel, and high-end eco-lodges.
  

Each destination has different financial considerations - from payment restrictions and FX risk to supplier reliability and prepayment policies.

Where the risks lie

Booking Africa as an American agent comes with unique challenges. Many suppliers do not accept credit cards, especially in East Africa. Bank transfers may take several days. Local currency fluctuations can make quoted prices meaningless if not locked in properly.

You also need to deal with:

• Prepayment requirements from lodges or DMCs with little flexibility

• Difficulties getting refunds or amendments on short notice

• Weak payment protection or consumer guarantees in many markets

• Multi-leg trips requiring cross-border supplier coordination
  

How to manage payments smarter

This is where your financial setup matters. A lot of International payment providers struggle to support payment to African suppliers. Roam is one solution that enables payments to African suppliers in their local currency, while you collect from your client in dollars or any other preferred currency. That means fewer FX losses, faster reconciliation, and less stress over supplier payment timelines.

Other options include:

• Using Wise or similar platforms for transparent FX

• Holding funds in multi-currency accounts (e.g. USD and ZAR) if you book often in the region

• Partnering with on-ground DMCs who handle in-region payments and logistics
  

Whatever your setup, ensure you track gross trip value, supplier costs, and commission clearly. Too many agents under-quote trips to Africa without building in the right margin or cushion for FX and operational changes.

Client expectations and segmentation

Trips to Africa are rarely last-minute. You’re working with planners. But they are often first-timers - and often nervous. Help your clients by being the expert.

• Give clear cost breakdowns. Don’t just quote “$10,000 per person” - explain what’s included, especially internal flights, park fees, and driver tips.

• Address FX risk in plain language: “We lock pricing at booking using our local partners.”

• Build trust: highlight safety, logistics, cancellation policies, and backup plans.
  

Target clients include:

• Multi-generational families

• Honeymooners looking for safari and beach

• Heritage travelers

• Wildlife and photography clients

• Luxury travellers exploring off-grid
  

Each group has different spending habits, insurance needs, and service expectations. Your margin and support model must reflect that.

How to sell Africa well

• Partner with trusted DMCs or lodges with U.S. market experience.

• Be honest about what’s included and what’s not — especially with tipping and domestic flights.

• Use smart payment tools to reduce admin and FX loss.

• Avoid underpricing. Africa trips are expensive to operate and service-heavy.

• Don’t copy-paste itineraries from OTAs. Build value through customization and trust.
  

The Antravia view

Africa is a premium product. It deserves a premium financial structure. If you’re serious about adding Africa to your sales mix, you need clear systems for quoting, tracking margin, handling FX, and paying suppliers securely.

We help travel agents do that. Whether you want to streamline supplier payments to Kenya, build commission visibility into multi-country trips, or understand how to price and protect your earnings — Antravia is here for it.