Shaping Africa’s tourism future through the power of education
If there’s one thing Africa must get right to transform its tourism sector, it is education.
Not just in the form of degrees and diplomas, but as a mindset – an intentional, systemic investment in shaping the next generation of tourism professionals, leaders and entrepreneurs.
As the continent rallies to grow its share of global tourism arrivals and revenue, there is no greater priority than placing education at the heart of its tourism strategy.
Across Africa, tourism is often celebrated for its potential to create jobs, drive investment, and boost cultural exchange.
But we rarely ask: who will power this growth?
Who are the chefs, guides, hospitality managers, event producers, tour operators, digital marketers, aviation professionals, tourism analysts and policy thinkers of tomorrow?
Without a pipeline of skilled, inspired people, all the beautifully written tourism strategies will remain dreams deferred.
The recently held UN Tourism Education Summit in Zambia, while not the subject of this column, provided strong context for this conversation.
It reminded us that countries that take tourism education seriously are more likely to build sustainable, resilient tourism industries.
With participation from education experts, tourism ministers, private sector leaders, and development partners, the summit served as a timely reflection of the urgency to treat tourism education as a national development priority; not an afterthought.
Education: Core engine of growth
For many African countries, tourism education is still narrowly defined. It is often limited to hotel and catering schools, with little linkage to the broader tourism value chain.
Yet, tourism in today’s world spans dozens of fields – from digital storytelling and culinary arts to heritage preservation, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), ecotourism management and destination marketing.
To unlock Africa’s potential, we must expand the vision of what tourism education looks like.
We must also introduce tourism early at the basic and secondary school levels, not just at tertiary institutions.
Children should grow up understanding tourism as a viable, dignified career path – not merely a fallback option.
In countries such as South Africa, Kenya, and Mauritius, we see stronger integration of tourism into the academic system, as well as public-private partnerships that ensure curriculum relevance and practical exposure.
Ghana must adopt a similar urgency. Our institutions – from HOTCATT to private hospitality academies – need reform, investment and closer ties to the fast-evolving needs of the industry.
Innovation: Changing landscape
Tourism is changing rapidly. New tools, platforms and consumer behaviours are transforming how people travel, book, experience and review destinations.
If education systems fail to keep up with these changes, we risk producing graduates who are not fit for the modern marketplace.
At the Zambia summit, several participants highlighted the role of technology and innovation in reshaping both education and tourism delivery.
Digital learning platforms, virtual internships, AI-powered customer service training, and immersive tourism tech are all part of the new reality.
But innovation isn’t just about tools – it’s about teaching students to think differently, to problem-solve, adapt and create value.
Tourism schools in Africa must therefore go beyond traditional training.
They must encourage entrepreneurship, innovation and digital literacy.
They must nurture curiosity and critical thinking.
In Ghana, this would mean retooling both educators and infrastructure – ensuring that classrooms are connected, that teachers are tech-savvy, and that students are prepared for a hybrid tourism economy.
Investment: Vision to action
It’s easy to talk about reforming tourism education, but none of it is possible without investment.
Governments must be willing to commit resources to develop modern tourism education infrastructure.
Development agencies must fund scholarships, innovation labs and curriculum design. And the private sector must support internships, mentorships, and industry-academia partnerships.
At the Zambia summit, UN Tourism Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, emphasised the importance of investing in human capital as a foundation for long-term tourism growth.
His call was echoed by several ministers and institutional heads who pointed to the mismatch between education outputs and industry needs.
In Ghana, while we’ve seen increasing interest in hospitality training, there is still a wide gap between the quality of training and the demands of the market.
Investment must be targeted: better training facilities, teacher exchange programmes, and exposure to real industry challenges.
Tourism is a competitive, ever-evolving space – our investments must reflect that.
Bridging school, industry gap
Perhaps the most overlooked part of the education puzzle is collaboration.
Too often, schools and industry operate in silos.
Teachers may have never worked in a hotel or on a tour operation.
Employers struggle to find graduates who are job-ready.
The result? Frustration on both sides.
One of the strongest messages that emerged from the Zambia summit was the need to build strong, structured linkages between tourism educators and industry players.
These should not be ad hoc or symbolic.
There must be regular curriculum reviews, guest lectures from practitioners, internship pipelines and forums for dialogue.
Ghana has the opportunity to lead on this front.
Agencies such as the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Ministry of Tourism and associations such as the Ghana Hotels Association can work with universities and training centres to design collaborative frameworks.
Such partnerships will ensure that tourism education is both practical and forward-looking.
In the end, the message is clear: if Africa wants to grow its tourism industry, education must come first.
It is the foundation upon which innovation, investment and growth rest.
With the right mindset, systems and support, we can produce a new generation of tourism professionals who are not just job seekers, but change makers.
Let Zambia’s summit be a reminder that the future of tourism in Africa is not just about places and beautiful landscapes – it’s about people.
And people need education.
