Africa's tourism industry is preparing for a post-coronavirus era
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaThe Great Migration, Tanzania: It's follow-the-leader time as wildebeests make a dangerous but necessary river crossing. Click through this gallery to see 24 more stunning locations you can visit in Africa:Hide Caption 1 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaTable Mountain, South Africa: They've got the table and the wine; you can provide the company. Find this gorgeous natural setting in sophisticated Cape Town.Hide Caption 2 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaDjmaa el Fna, Morocco: Could this be the world's most mesmerizing market? You're sure to be charmed beyond the snake charmers.Hide Caption 3 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaSossusvlei Dunes, Namibia: Who knew sand could be stunning? Found in Namib-Naukluft National Park, this stark stretch is known for its large, red sand dunes and is one of Namibia's most popular attractions.Hide Caption 4 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaMountain gorillas, Rwanda: It's one of the most rewarding encounters in the natural world — a close-up meeting with Rwanda's mountain gorillas.Hide Caption 5 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaVictoria Falls, Zambia and Zimbabwe: In the 1800s, members of the Kololo tribe living in the area appropriately called it Mosi-oa-Tunya, "The Smoke that Thunders." Hide Caption 6 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaSpitzkoppe, Namibia: Don't get stuck between a rock and a hard place here, which is far too easy to do. But what an unusual sight it is. Spitzkoppe is a German word for "pointed dome."Hide Caption 7 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaSahara Dunes, Morocco: You'll definitely have to empty out your shoes after a walk through the Sahara Dunes. This is one of the easier entry points into the wonders of the vast Sahara Desert.Hide Caption 8 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaPyramids of Giza, Egypt: And you thought building your garden wall was hard work! These are so old that they were already ancient wonders and a tourist attraction to the Romans 2,000 years ago.Hide Caption 9 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaNyika Plateau National Park, Malawi: Malawi calling. Your dream escape awaits in this beautiful part of Africa's Great Rift Valley.Hide Caption 10 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaMakgadikgadi Pans, Botswana: Saltier than a salt shaker and seemingly forever desolate and dry. That's until transformational rains come, bringing an onslaught of greenery and wildlife.Hide Caption 11 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaDraa Valley, Morocco: Date palms and kasbahs make a good team in the Draa Valley, a fertile band that cuts through desert plateau. Hikers and trekkers are rewarded with some of Morocco's most beautiful scenery.Hide Caption 12 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaSphinx, Egypt: With the body of a lion and human head, this ancient colossus is still enveloped in mystery. Hide Caption 13 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaMount Mulanje, Malawi: The true scenic route. Birdwatching and hiking are popular around Mulanje.Hide Caption 14 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaRiding safari, Kenya: Want to get up close and personal with Africa's mesmerizing zebras? Follow them along on horseback on a riding safari in Kenya.Hide Caption 15 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaNile, Egypt: The Nile is the lifeblood of Egypt. Take a cruise down the world's longest river and drift through thousands of years of history.Hide Caption 16 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaFlamingos, Kenya: Pretty in pink. Lake Nakuru National Park, about 170 kilometers (about 105 miles) northwest of Nairobi, is famous for its flamingos. But you may also spot rhino, monkeys and many other animals.Hide Caption 17 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaLower Zambezi, Zambia: The Lower Zambezi is a watery lifeline to elephants and a host of other animals. You may spot a crocodile during your canoe safari.Hide Caption 18 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaBazaruto Archipelago, Mozambique: You might spot dolphins, dugongs and whales in the Indian Ocean. Hide Caption 19 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaNxia Pan National Park, Botswana: One of the highlights of this park in northeast Botswana is the large number of giraffe herds you're likely to come across.Hide Caption 20 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaCape Verde Archiepelago: The Cape Verde archipelago is a cultural blend of African, Iberian, and Brazilian influences. From water sports, hikes through volcanic landscapes and leisure times at the scenic beaches, Cape Verde offers it all. Hide Caption 21 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaFish River Canyon, Namibia: It's one of the world's largest canyons, making it another must-see spot in Namibia.Hide Caption 22 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaRhinos at Solio Reserve, Kenya: Come to Solio Reserve to see these elusive and highly endangered creatures of the African plains.Hide Caption 23 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaNyiragongo Volcano, Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo: This is an active volcano and provides a fascinating look at the awesome power of geologic forces. Hide Caption 24 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaMount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania: Breathtaking views and altitudes come with one of the most coveted hikes in the world. Hide Caption 25 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaLake Malawi, Malawi: This clear lake is home to many species of colorful fish found nowhere else on Earth, and is a great way to end a trip to Africa in a beautiful, relaxed setting.Hide Caption 26 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaLake Retba, Senegal: Lake Retba, also called Lac Rose by locals, is a highly saline body of water, one of the highest in the world. The lake gets its color from bacteria — which are totally safe — in the water, which produces a red pigment to absorb sunlight. Hide Caption 27 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaLekki Conservation Centre, Lagos: A walk high above the ground on Africa's longest canopy walkway is also a chance to explore nature. The Lekki Conservation Centre offers a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital.Hide Caption 28 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaAfrican Renaissance Monument: Higher than the Statue of Liberty in New York, this majestic bronze statue is the tallest in Africa. Getting to it is an exhilarating feat that's crowned by the breathtaking view of Dakar from the top of the monument.Hide Caption 29 of 30
The top 30 stunning locations in AfricaNzulezo, Ghana: The village is built entirely on stilts on Lake Tandane in western Ghana. Nzulezo offers a glimpse into what it's like to live entirely on water.Hide Caption 30 of 30
"Covid Heroes and Newsmakers" is a weekly social media series featuring interviews with Africans driving strategy as the continent faces Covid-19. Watch on CNN Africa Instagram.
(CNN)At the start of 2020, Africa's tourism industry was predicted to grow.
The United World Tourism Organization, or UNWTO, estimated a 3 to 5% increase in international arrivals to the continent as a result of demand for air travel and easier visa processes. As coronavirus hit, airports were shut down, tourists stopped arriving and the industry was forced to pause. Many countries on the continent also imposed lockdowns, shutting down hotels, tour companies, event centers and public transportation. 
The tourism industry — consisting of entertainment, accommodation, food and beverage and operating tours — employs more than 1 million people each in Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa, according to the United Nations. Read MoreIt also accounts for more than 20% of employment in Seychelles, Cape Verde, Sao Tome, and Principe and Mauritius. But due to the spread of Covid-19, many of its sectors are cutting jobs and losing revenue.The UN estimates that the pandemic will cost up to 2 million direct and indirect jobs in tourism on the continent.
Loss of revenue
In Kenya, some hotels and guesthouses on the Kenyan coast reported occupancy rates of less than 7% in March, according to local media. In the same month, Victor Shikata, the general manager at the Flamingo beach hotel, in Mombasa, Kenya's coast, told CNN that the hotel's pool and lounge were empty. And its once sandy beaches have become deserted as a result of the virus. The hotel also had to deal with massive cancellations of holidays and conference meetings, he added. Food and beverage services are not left out as business owners say they are forced to lay off staff or cut down on their salaries.Ada Osakwe, founder of Nuli, a chain of health food restaurants based in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial center told CNN that her business was forced to close down 9 of its 10 stores following the coronavirus pandemic in April. According to Osakwe, the restaurant's sales dropped by 95% during a mandatory lockdown set by President Buhari, forcing her to cut the salaries of her employees. "I'm just really with spreadsheets and putting percentages next to everyone's names to see how we are going to pay salaries. After April, I don't know how we are going to survive," she said.
'Absolute chaos'
Tanya Kotze, founder of Africa Direct, a tour and travel company based in South Africa told CNN that when international flights to the country were canceled in March, her team was thrown into 'absolute chaos.' International travel has always been a huge factor for tourism and in 2018, it generated $38 billion for Africa, according to the UNWTO. Kotze, who has been running Africa Direct for 15 years says her team spent about four weeks reaching out to clients and rescheduling bookings for 2021 and 2022."The first month after international travel stopped, it was absolute chaos of moving bookings of our current clients who would have traveled this year. It was dealing with so many cancellations and activities to prevent our clients from losing their money," she said. Canceling and rescheduling trips could potentially translate into a loss of $30 billion to $50 billion in revenue for the continent's tourism industry this year, according to the United Nations.But because of increasing cases of the virus, more than 123,000 on the continent as of May 29, Africa does not have a choice. Kotze says that one of the ways her company is staying afloat is by leveraging on already existing relationships with her clients who are mostly visitors from the US and Europe. "We are fortunate to have repeat clients so we are offering really affordable packages ahead of 2021 and 2022 and encouraging them to book now.We are so fortunate that many of them are booking. The exchange rate is now favorable for Americans and Britons looking to your Africa so we are trying to make it as attractive as possible," she explained.While offering low cost tour packages ahead of the next couple of years is laced with uncertainty and is a financial loss, the company is able to retain a significant amount of its customers and secure work ahead of 2021 and 2022, she added.
Slow travel
It is still unclear when African countries will fully open up their borders to travel and tourism. While some countries are still operating emergency flights in order to repatriate citizens stuck abroad, and some are still operating cargo flights, for the most part, international air operations remain grounded.Sisa Ntshona, CEO of the South Africa tourism board says when borders finally open up, travel will be slow and Africa will need to make adjustments. "Travel itself is going to start slowly. It will be people mostly traveling within their own cities first, exploring and enjoying the freedom of movement. It will take a while before we receive tourists from outside the continent," he told CNN.According to Ntshona, African countries need to make their holiday destinations more attractive in a post-coronavirus era as a lot of countries will be competing to get tourists to come to them. "It's about understanding the behavioral patterns of the new modern tourists and be able to fulfill those needs. It's no longer about going to places and taking fancy pictures, people want to immerse themselves in the culture, food, flavors, and fashion… It is really about positioning ourselves as a continent to be able to give all those requirements to the modern-day traveler," Ntshona said. African countries need to focus on improving tourism services in order to attract tourists and stimulate growth in the industry.
The future of tourism
Ntshona says things will become more digital as technology will play a significant role in the accommodation and travel sectors. People will start to check into hotels virtually without going through receptionists. In the same way, they will buy airline tickets online and check-in themselves as opposed to at the counter. "They will become more independent. They will want to do their own laundry, come to the hotels with their own cutlery perhaps. It will be about being conscious of what we touch and see as we have learned with the Coronavirus presence," he said. It will take the world tourism industry at least 10 months to recover from the effects of coronavirus, according to the UNWTO. For Africa, possibly longer. Some countries are already strategizing new policies to boost tourism in a post coronavirus era. 
In April, according to local media, South Africa's Department of Tourism released a 200 million rand (about $11 million) relief fund for tourism, encouraging eligible businesses within the sector to apply. The fund, according to Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, the country's minister of tourism, is to ensure the survival of hotels, resorts, restaurants, tour operators, and travel agents. Kotze, owner of Africa Direct says the government has a significant role to play with financial inducements to keep the tourism industry on track. Tax incentives, waivers, business support schemes, and insurance should be offered by governments. Kotze is worried but hopeful that the tourism industry, which generates billions of dollars for Africa, will bounce back strong."I'm very optimistic. We beat a HIV pandemic, we beat Ebola. We can also beat coronavirus."
