The Vice President Africa, Qatar Airways, Hendrik du Preez, has disclosed that Africa’s share in the global travel demographic stands at only 2%, despite the continent comprising roughly 17% of the world’s population.
Preez stated this in Lagos in a press statement made available to our reporter recently.
Reacting to a question on fierce competition within the aviation industry, he said, “Competition isn’t always negative; often, it stimulates more people to fly, aiming to expand the aviation market and provide more individuals with the opportunity to travel,” adding that “despite comprising roughly 17% of the world’s population, Africa’s share in the global travel demographic stands at only 2%. This indicates a large room for growth on the continent.”
“I maintain my belief that although the African market remains underserved, there are numerous prospects in the next 5 to 10 years. One of the most significant challenges hindering this growth is the cost of travel throughout the value chain,” VP Africa, Qatar Airways stated.
He added “Procuring fuel in Africa often proves more expensive compared to many other global regions, amplifying the overall cost of operations. Additionally, he said, “Airport operations in Africa tend to be notably costlier than elsewhere. Addressing these issues requires collaboration with governments to reassess regulations and seek ways to facilitate easier travel. Increased travel not only bolsters economies but also contributes to scaling down prices.”
Recently Qatar Airways increased weekly flights in Nigeria and in an attempt to provide insights into the factors that influenced this decision, Preez said that since COVID-19, Qatar Airways has continuously reviewed operations, seizing every chance to scale up and expand.
According to him, “Nigeria stands out as one of the countries rebounding swiftly post-pandemic, evident in its market resurgence, prompting the surge in flights. As widely recognised, Lagos, Kano, Port Harcourt, and Abuja represent distinct markets, each complementing the others. The growth in these areas prompted Qatar Airways to enhance flight frequencies, catering to increased demand and offering expanded capacity to the market.”
Speaking on the challenges faced by his company, Vice President Africa, Qatar Airways stressed that “The cost of doing business in Africa poses a significant challenge, not only for Qatar Airways, but for every airline operating in the region. It notably exceeds costs in many other parts of the world.”
“The widespread devaluation of currencies has further deterred people from travelling. Another challenge pertains to airport infrastructure. Nonetheless, recent years have witnessed increased investments in improving this area by several countries. There are new airports opening up all over Africa. Nigeria, for instance, recently transitioned to a new terminal in Lagos. Similarly, a new airport in Luanda was opened – both reflecting such ongoing advancements across the continent,” he emphasized.
Weighing in on the operational performance of Qatar Airways in the continent during 2023, considering factors such as reduced buying power, regulations and the effect of inflation on revenue, he said “This year marks a significant shift since the onset of COVID-19, where a return to normalcy is emerging.
He added “pre-COVID trends are resurfacing; there is still evident pent-up demand reflected in people’s booking behaviour. To accommodate this surge in Africa, we’ve implemented systems to bolster our capacity. During the pandemic, we introduced several new routes and eight destinations, many of which have rapidly gained popularity.”
“Despite our efforts to increase capacity, challenges persist, particularly in Nigeria, where buying power remains a hurdle amidst soaring inflation across various African countries. The currency devaluation has significantly impacted several nations, including Nigeria and Egypt. Malawi, most notably, devalued its currency by 44% just recently. However, we’ve learnt to keep a perspective of adapting to these landscape changes, whether that be decreasing capacity during certain periods, and increasing when we see demand go up again. It’s that agility that gives us a big advantage. “
