Contribution of air transport to GDP: where are the top 5 destinations in Africa?

At the end of November 2024, Morocco dethroned Egypt to become the leading tourist destination in Africa. According to figures relayed in the press, Morocco recorded 15.9 million tourist arrivals at the end of November, compared to 15.7 million for Egypt over the entire first 11 months of 2024. Although the Prime Minister Egyptian forecasts 18 million tourists by 2025, thanks to the opening of the great Egyptian museum and the development of infrastructure, Morocco now seems to occupy the place of the leading African tourist destination.

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It is in this context that we return to a recent study published by the IATA (International Air Transport Association) entitled “The value of air transport in 82 countries”. This study focuses on the contribution of air transport to the GDP of 82 countries around the world, including 10 of the most important African countries, notably the leaders in this area.

The Top 5 contributions to GDP

According to this ranking, Egypt comes first with a contribution of 21.1 billion US dollars. This performance is probably explained by the significant weight of the tourism sector in the Egyptian economy and the presence of developed airport infrastructure.

Morocco is in second place with a contribution of $11.2 billion. Although behind Egypt, this significant contribution demonstrates the strategic importance given to air transport in the economic and tourist development of the Kingdom.

South Africa, third with 5.7 billion dollars, confirms its status as a major tourist destination on the continent. Tanzania (3.8 billion) and Kenya (3.3 billion) complete the top 5, highlighting the economic potential of air transport in these countries with a strong tourism vocation.

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This ranking reflects the disparities between African countries in terms of development of airport infrastructure, air connectivity and tourist attractiveness. It also highlights the importance of having a coherent strategy aimed at taking full advantage of the economic benefits of air transport.

Thus, the 5 African countries where the contribution of air transport to GDP is the highest are Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya.

Opportunities and challenges for Royal Air Maroc

By becoming Africa’s leading tourist destination in 2024, Morocco is reaching an important symbolic milestone. This remarkable progress in the African tourism market could well result in a future increase in the contribution of air transport to the Moroccan economy.

Indeed, there is a close link between the dynamism of the tourism sector and that of air transport. The more foreign visitors a country attracts, the greater the demand for air transport services, whether for the transport of tourists or freight linked to hotel and catering activity.

Thus, by consolidating its tourist attractiveness, Morocco should logically see air traffic to and from its airports strengthen in the months and years to come. This increase in the number of passengers and air freight will undoubtedly boost the economic benefits generated by national air transport. It remains to be seen how the national airline Royal Air Maroc (RAM) will capitalize on this favorable tourism dynamic. As the country’s leading airline, it is ideally positioned to benefit from the growing influx of foreign visitors. However, it will have to overcome several challenges to take full advantage of this opportunity.

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By meeting them, the company will not only be able to strengthen its economic performance, but also actively contribute to Morocco’s tourism influence on a continental and global scale.

Beyond direct revenue, this growth in air traffic will also encourage the creation of additional jobs in this strategic sector, while stimulating related activities such as hotels, restaurants and airline services.

«In Egypt, 56,100 people are directly employed in aviation, generating $3.5 billion in economic output, or 0.9% of total GDP. In Morocco, 38,000 people are directly employed in aviation, generating $1.1 billion in economic output, or 0.8% of total GDP», Underlines the IATA study.

Does the size of the economy matter?

Let’s say that there is no systematic correlation between the size of a country’s economy and the importance of air transport’s contribution to its GDP. Factors such as the development of airport infrastructure, air connectivity, openness to competition and tourist attractiveness play a determining role.

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Indeed, countries like Morocco, Tanzania and Kenya, despite having relatively smaller economies than Nigeria for example, have a higher contribution of air transport to GDP. This can be explained by better air connectivity, more developed airport infrastructure and an ambitious tourism strategy favoring travel. Recall that according to the IATA study, the contribution of air transport to Nigeria’s GDP amounts to $2.5 billion. That is to say two times less than in South Africa, four times less than in Morocco, or even eight times less than in Egypt.

The liberalization of air transport in Africa, by stimulating competition and the opening of markets, could accentuate the economic impact of this sector. However, massive investment in airports, training and supporting infrastructure will be necessary to reap the full benefits, IATA emphasizes.

To maximize the economic benefits of air transport, African governments should adopt policies aimed at developing competitive airport platforms, attracting airlines, promoting healthy competition and stimulating tourism demand. A long-term strategic vision articulating the different development levers is essential.

The value of air transport in the top 5 destinations in Africa (in billions of US dollars)

Source : IATA.