The Transformational Influence of Digitalisation on the Revival of Africa’s Travel and Tourism Industry in the Post-COVID-19 Era

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the global economy to a standstill and left behind an indelible footprint that will not be forgotten soon. The pandemic greatly affected the travel and tourism economy since the imposition of lockdowns on the world. People could not travel from one region to another and from one country to another. Even within countries, travel from one province to another was restricted. The restriction culminated in the total shutdown of global tourism destinations, with the employees sent home for the better part of 2020. Therefore, this chapter sought to explore the impact of digitalisation on the recovery of the travel and tourism industry in Africa post-COVID-19. After the introduction, the chapter will give a background of Africa’s travel and tourism sector before COVID-19, discuss Africa’s travel and tourism issues, and articulate what transpired during the pandemic. Furthermore, the chapter will describe digitalisation and analyse its impact on the sector’s recovery. A summary and conclusion of the chapter will follow this.